Frank Lampard became the highest-paid Premier League player when he signed a new Chelsea contract in 2008.
The five-year agreement, announced in August 2008, was reportedly worth £39.2 million in total—about £140,000 per week. It kept Lampard at Stamford Bridge until 2013 and ended speculation that he might leave for Inter Milan. At the time, the deal represented Chelsea’s commitment to one of its most important players.
Lampard had joined Chelsea from West Ham United in 2001 and developed into a prolific, goalscoring midfielder. By 2008, he had become central to Chelsea’s success, helping the club win two Premier League titles, the 2006 FA Cup and the 2007 League Cup. He also finished as Chelsea’s leading scorer in the 2007–08 season.
A common mix-up involves John Terry, who had become the Premier League’s highest-paid player after a new Chelsea deal in 2007. Lampard’s 2008 contract superseded that mark. Another later development is that Manchester City’s Robinho reportedly overtook Lampard soon afterward, so the answer refers specifically to the moment Lampard’s Chelsea contract was signed.