Frank Lampard says that he always felt confident that Chelsea would be able to keep hold of Willian and Pedro for the rest of the season, hailing the duo as "fantastic professionals" after signing on to continue their Blues careers.
The pair of wingers were set to see their contracts end on June 30, with Pedro heavily linked with a move to Roma once his deal expired.
And, as a result of the coronavirus, there was a possibility that the two would leave prior to the completion of Chelsea's Premier League campaign, which runs through to July 26.
Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to allow short-term deals for players impacted by this specific situation, leading to both Willian and Pedro signing those short-term deals to finish out the campaign.
The two will be available for all Premier League matches going forward as well as Chelsea's games in the FA Cup and Champions League.
And Lampard says he is thrilled to keep hold of the two vital attackers as Chelsea look to make a push for a top-four spot this season while adding that there are still ongoing talks with regards to keeping Willian beyond this season.
"We are still talking with the players, and Willian in particular, we are talking with him," Lampard said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"It was hard for me to comment too much because it was announced yesterday. But I was always felt confident that they would remain, they've been fantastic professionals for the club, and servants in all senses.
"And when you have that level of professionalism within you, I think it's a sign that they wanted to stay and see out the season at least.
"So we'll carry on talking and see. But I think everybody's focus now is on these next games, the individuals themselves and us as a club."
Willian has played 38 times in all competitions this season, scoring seven goals while assisting six times. In addition, he's featured in all but one of Chelsea's Premier League matches.
Pedro, meanwhile, has scored two goals across his 18 appearances under Lampard this season.
“I'm pleased, negotiations were relatively easy, because both sides wanted the same thing," Lampard said. "The two players wanted to make sure they could see the season out with us.
“At this point we need them in the squad, they are both important players for us, so I'm happy.”
