Frank Lampard has admitted his first wish was to stay with Chelsea for this season.
The 36-year-old midfielder signed for New York City earlier in the summer and then sealed a loan switch to Manchester City until his MLS adventure starts in the new year.
Lampard said: "I would have obviously stayed if Chelsea had offered me another year. There was no reason for me to leave.
"Yes, I wanted to play a bit more regularly but I’m not stupid.
"If Chelsea had given me a new contract it would have been mad not to take it at the time.
"It wasn't that I didn't think I could still do it," he added in the Sun . "If I felt like that I wouldn't have gone to City on loan.
"I had a chat with Jose Mourinho and both he and the club were always great with me. The decision was made – and I don’t know who made it."
