Frank Lampard has joined Manchester City on a six-month loan, the club has confirmed.
The England midfielder left Chelsea at the end of the 2013-14 season after his contract expired.
It was confirmed in July that he would be joining MLS side New York City in time for the new season, which begins in March 2015.
Frank Lampard became Chelsea's record goalscorer during his 13-year spell at the club
To ensure he begins his career on the other side of the Atlantic in peak physical condition, the midfielder has opted to join the Premier League champions in the interim.
Upon confirmation of the news, Lampard said: "Joining up with Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me to continue to train and play at the top level and make sure I am in top condition for New York City.
"It has been an amazing few days for me since the unveiling in Brooklyn and everyone connected with both clubs has been fantastic to me. This is a new chapter of my career and I'm really excited about the experience.
"I met Manuel and some of the players in New York and I'm looking forward to getting into training and making a contribution for Manchester City ahead of my move over to New York."
“Joining up with Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me to continue to train and play at the top level”
Frank Lampard
And the Manchester City manager added his own words of welcome, saying he still has plenty to offer and will become a valuable player for the Citizens.
He said: "Frank is a world class midfielder and this is an opportunity which works perfectly for everyone, the player, Manchester City, and New York City.
"I'm looking forward to working with him and integrating him into our squad.
"New York have made a fantastic signing by recruiting Frank, and I'm really pleased that we'll be able to have him with us for the first half of our season and help prepare him for his new challenge."
Lampard, who has been handed the number 18 shirt, will begin training with his new club immediately.
He will also be in contention for a place in the squad when they kick-off their campaign in The FA Community Shield on Sunday 10 August against Arsenal.
