Manchester City open to extending Lampard's loan deal beyond January

It will never look natural, but we may have to get used to seeing Frank Lampard in baby blue.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said Tuesday that the club is considering the possibility of extending Lampard's loan deal beyond January, when it was expected he'd be heading back to nascent MLS side New York City FC.

While ESPN FC reports that no such agreement has been reached, it would make sense given that the American team does not begin its inaugural MLS campaign until March.

"Frank will stay until January because until January he doesn't have anything to do in the United States because they are not working. In January, we will see what happens here and make a decision," Pellegrini said.

Lampard, who scored his first goal with the Citizens this weekend against his old side Chelsea, could become an important cog in Pellegrini's team after the calendar turns. City are set to lose star midfielder Yaya Toure to the African Cup of Nations in January and, while Lampard cannot be expected to fill that void entirely, he can certainly be part of a group that does.