Frank Lampard is set to sign a short-term deal with Manchester City. The former Chelsea midfielder has agreed to join City’s Major League Soccer team, New York City, but they will not begin playing until March. Lampard rejected the chance to play in Melbourne at City’s other new venture and, although Queens Park Rangers appeared to be leading the chase for his signature, the 36-year-old favours a spell with Manuel Pellegrini’s side. The shock move will enable Lampard to keep fit and, provided there are no last-minute hitches, City will register him for their Premier League and Champions League squads. He is likely to sign a six-month contract which will run until he begins pre-season training with New York. It is a deal which is believed to suit both parties, with City keen to boost their quota of English players in a squad packed full of foreign imports while Lampard, who has yet to announce his international retirement, will remain in the England manager Roy Hodgson’s gaze. Pellegrini’s side are in the US for today’s International Champions Cup game with Olympiakos and, even if they reach Monday’s final in Miami, will return to England on Tuesday. They hope to have Lampard training with them before Sunday’s Community Shield match against Arsenal. The move will raise eyebrows throughout the Premier League, nowhere more than at Chelsea, where Lampard earned legendary status after 13 trophy-filled years. The two clubs next meet on 21 September at the Etihad Stadium. City’s chief executive, Ferran Soriano, who has been working tirelessly on both sides of the Atlantic, has said players could be swapped with New York for the good of both clubs. “We have some very bright star players, young players in Europe [and] we might ask them to come to New York to play before they play at Manchester City,” he said.