Manchester City News: Frank Lampard on Melbourne City, Wilfried Bony Arrives

Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard believes he would have enjoyed a "great experience" with Melbourne City FC, the club he could have joined during the summer.

The English Premier League champions are affiliated with Melbourne and New York City FC, the latter of whom many thought Lampard would turn out for this season. 

Despite a misleading announcement that he was due to pick up his career in the MLS, Lampard joined Manuel Pellegrini's cause and then signed a two-year agreement with the American side, beginning July of 2015, reported by The Associated Press (h/t The Guardian). Like fellow NYCFC capture David Villa, the former Chelsea star could have gained fitness in the Australian A-League with Melbourne.

Lampard believes this would have been an enjoyable move, reported on FOX Sports' Shootout (h/t per Matt Windley of the Herald Sun): 

"

I wouldn’t have had a problem with it (playing for Melbourne City). I’ve never been to Australia, so it would have been a great experience in itself there, but it just didn’t work out. This (going to Manchester City) came along slightly after and I took the opportunity to carry on playing in the Premier League at a really competitive level.

"

Jon Super/Associated Press

The 36-year-old midfielder will now head to the Big Apple in the summer, partway through the MLS season. He suggests Melbourne's affiliation could see further cameo appearances from worldwide stars in the future, per Windley:

"

I’m sure it might have been on the cards and the fact that David Villa went there and played some games shows that there is a link and players maybe will be able to move, particularly when they need games like David and myself did at the time.

I’m sure you enjoyed having (Villa) there and the quality he brought to the team and I know Damien Duff etc, so I certainly wouldn’t have had a problem to go to Melbourne, I would have enjoyed that challenge.

"

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

City will be glad they secured Lampard this season. Pellegrini's squad would be seven points worse off without his five Premier League goals, which include a late equaliser against league leaders Chelsea, per WhoScored.com. Lampard is a master at arriving into the area late, finding space and hammering home ferocious shots from distance, making him extremely useful in his latter playing years.

Pellegrini's side have only scored more than once in one of their last six matches, however. January signing Wilfried Bony has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations—where he helped inspire the Cote d'Ivoire to victory—and can now be called upon to help, per City's official Twitter account:

Bony's move is valued at £28 million, the costliest Premier League switch of the winter window. The 26-year-old tallied nine in 20 appearances for Swansea before moving to the Etihad, per WhoScored.com, and can now look forward to a potentially lethal partnership with Sergio Aguero. B/R UK's Sam Tighe recently looked at their prospective output:

City are currently seven points behind Chelsea in the Premier League. They also face Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16, a repeat of last year's two-legged tie.

Players such as Lampard and Bony—goalscorers who can feed off minimal chances—will be key to deciding whether or not City gain revenge for last season's defeat.