Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will join the Citizens on a six-month loan deal.
The 36-year-old had joined City's sister club New York City on a two-year deal, after being released by the Blues this summer.
However, since the new MLS season does not start till January 2015, the newly formed club (co-owned by City and the New York Yankees) have decided to send the England midfielder away on a short-term loan deal.
The 36-year-old will join up with his City teammates on Wednesday and will be at the Etihad till January.
"From Wednesday, he [Lampard] will start working with us and play for us until January," said Pellegrini after City's pre-season defeat against Olympiakos (on penalties) on Saturday.
"He's a member of the squad and he will fight for his position. He knows we have a good team and we have a lot of games in the Champions League so he's very important for our team," the Chilean added.
It was earlier reported that Lampard (along with his new New York City teammate David Villa) would be moving to City's other sister club Melbourne City to improve his fitness ahead of the new MLS season.
Pellegrini also hinted that Lampard might face his former club, when City host Chelsea in the league on 21 September.
"I will talk about that [playing against Chelsea] with him but he is a player for Manchester City and he will play every game that he needs to play," Pellegrini stressed.
Blues fans will not be pleased to see Lampard don on a City shirt as he is considered a Chelsea legend, having spent 13 years at the west London club, scoring 211 goals (a club record) in 649 matches.
The former West Ham player had earlier stated that he would never be able to play for other top flight club in the Premier League due to his respect for the Blues.
"I can't imagine playing for anyone else after being 12 years at Chelsea. I've got a lot of respect for a lot of other Premier League clubs, particularly the top ones, but I'm not sure I could have done that," Lampard had said.
