According to todays Daily Telegraph we are set to sign the dutch playmaker from Hamburg.

If I had to liken him to anyone it would be Riquelme (but not the attitude).

I really like this guy and if we continue to pass more rather than revert to longball then he could be a major part in us making good chances in the same way the likes of Zola and Eidur have in the past.

Pardon the ignorance, where exactly does he play? In a similar position to Lampard/Ballack? If so, I'm curious as to how he'd fit into the team, especially since if we want someone to play between midfield/attack we've got either Pizarro or Joe Cole (imo Cole plays better there than on the wing)

In the middle similar to that which Riqualme or Kaka play, although he can play a Ronaldinho/Cole-type wide role (either side) where he drifts in from the flanks and causes havoc. He is at his best 'unlocking' defences...which I think we really need.

He is quite ligtweigt but has bags of skill and passes the ball like a dream.

He was at Ajax a couple of years back, so Ten Cate should know all about him. I think he is about 23 or 24.

In that case, he sounds like he could be a very good purchase for us, decent age too.

He plays any where across the midfield, but is purely an attacking, creative player.

Van der Vaart and Huntelaar? I would be VERY pleased with that!

Bye Bye Frank

From what I've seen and heard he is really good. He plays as an shadow striker for Hamburg, just behind the strikers. He has a great freekick and a thunderous shot. I dont think Lampard comes useless if we'd get him. I think he competes more with J.Cole than Lamps.

And here's the usual YouTube compilation to judge him by, you knew it would appear.

I must say though he does look as though he's got the skills to pay the bills.

From what I've seen and heard he is really good. He plays as an shadow striker for Hamburg, just behind the strikers. He has a great freekick and a thunderous shot. I dont think Lampard comes useless if we'd get him. I think he competes more with J.Cole than Lamps.

If he could stay fit. Seems a bit injury prone.

oh good. another world beating, injury prone dutchman. just what we need

Looks pretty useful in the YouTube compilation, but is it more or are all the keepers in the clips extremely dodgy. I thought Ajax played in Holland not Scotland?

Ive only seen the fella play out wide and to be honest i was'nt very impressed,

G4 has ashured me he is the mutts playing more centraly so if he was bought in centeraly with the option of covering the wings when and as required simmeler to the way kalou can play up top or on the wing and cole can come in center if required then would be a good buy.

I dare say Lamps will stat but at the same time maka is almost done jury still out on balak so if we take him out of the equation at the moment if are midfiled breaks down either through injury or suspesntion then we are looking at sidwell.... not good enough.. compare it to united who have carrick, scholes, anderson, hargreaves (ok i dont rate him but some do) when they play a 4-4-2 then we need to improove to compete!!

I thought van der vaart was going to juventus? Although he's prone to injury, he still has scored 24 goals in 55 games for hamburg and he's very good at free kicks. If van der vaart won't leave, Get Huntelaar!!

Van der Vaart would be a great player for us, he is a very dangerous midfileder, has leadership qualities and could be Frank's successor, but the problem is, that he wouldn't go to England, his desired destination is Spain. By the way, his wife is really nice....

Good age, good at unlocking defences, good at free kicks!

I think he mainly had two big injuries...and some niggles. But then does that mean that JT is injury prone if we only look at face value? Not sure.

I am still unsure if Frank will stay, and even if he does we should always have a squad with some quality.

Would love to see Huntelaar at the Bridge as well.

Bye Bye Frank

Lampard hasn't looked interested for ages now, it's like he's got his mind on other things - Spain, perhaps?

I for one wouldn't be sorry if he left, though I'm grateful for what he's given to Chelsea in his time here.

Bye Bye Frank

Lampard hasn't looked interested for ages now, it's like he's got his mind on other things - Spain, perhaps?

I for one wouldn't be sorry if he left, though I'm grateful for what he's given to Chelsea in his time here.

I am glad someone said it BB, because I also thought he hasn't played the way he used to for us for quite a while now. But then again, it is Lamps and he is integral to everything we do so hopefully, VDV can come in and fulfill the goal scoring midfield role to some extent, when Lamps leaves which seems very likely.

Bye Bye Frank

Lampard hasn't looked interested for ages now, it's like he's got his mind on other things - Spain, perhaps?

I for one wouldn't be sorry if he left, though I'm grateful for what he's given to Chelsea in his time here.

Looks more likely that he'll join Juventus. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. If he leave then I do hope we atleast get some money for him.

I've yet to see the Van der Vaart rumour repeated, never mind confirmed, anywhere. Let's wait with selling Lampard.

Bye Bye Frank

Lampard hasn't looked interested for ages now, it's like he's got his mind on other things - Spain, perhaps?

I for one wouldn't be sorry if he left, though I'm grateful for what he's given to Chelsea in his time here.

hasn't looked interested, my arse!

You want to argue he hasn't played as well then I'll go with that, but not interested - I can't see that!

Even amidst a pretty average showing against the Arsenal he was still running around working his balls off defensively.

If he wants to go then fine - but if he wants to stay we'd be mad not to hang on to him.

Bye Bye Frank

Lampard hasn't looked interested for ages now, it's like he's got his mind on other things - Spain, perhaps?

I for one wouldn't be sorry if he left, though I'm grateful for what he's given to Chelsea in his time here.

hasn't looked interested, my arse!

You want to argue he hasn't played as well then I'll go with that, but not interested - I can't see that!

Even amidst a pretty average showing against the Arsenal he was still running around working his balls off defensively.

If he wants to go then fine - but if he wants to stay we'd be mad not to hang on to him.

That's the whole point though - does he want to stay?

From what I've seen lately, he's been playing way below what he's capable of, and doesn't seem to be as interested or passionate as he once was - and I'm not the only one to notice that by any means. If you see it another way, fair enough, but kindly leave your arse out of it

If he signs a new contract and finds the form he had a couple of years ago, then I'll be happy for him to stay - just so long as he promises not to take any more free kicks

Lamps is either world class or crud at the moment.

And he seems a right moody bar steward at interviews. He and Drog are offski in close season I think.

And he has been giving the ball away so much I though he was 'Saint' Steven Gerrard for a moment.

He and Drog are offski in close season I think.

You mean "offskov", don't you?

I think before it is too late for us and too late for him, lampard should realistically leave at the end of the season. I think it will more than likely be Juventus rather than Barca (the Barca thing was mainly press speculation) because Barca really has a decent enough midfield!

He and Drog are offski in close season I think.

You mean "offskov", don't you?

Technically yes...but Offski has more ZING!!!!

In answer to some comments - If Lamps goes, if Drog goes...things go on, and they are not the only good players in the world. We would just have to adjust.