Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard is set to seal a sensational return to Chelsea as manager within the next few hours.
The former Blues midfielder is set to return to Stamford Bridge alongside his current Derby No 2 and former Chelsea player Jody Morris, with their roles set to be announced ‘in the next 48 hours’, according to talkSPORT.
Lampard, 41, has been the overwhelming favourite to become Chelsea boss since Maurizio Sarri left his post to take over at Serie A champions Juventus.
He has only been Derby manager for a season and narrowly missed out on securing promotion to the Premier League in his first campaign as a manager.
Lampard led Derby to the Championship play-off final at Wembley, only for his side to be defeated by Aston Villa.
But it was his work with Derby’s youngsters, including two loan signings from Chelsea in Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori, that stood out.
With Chelsea set to be under a transfer ban this summer, Lampard will be expected to clear a pathway to the first team from the club’s youth fold and create a platform for future success at Stamford Bridge.
As a player at Chelsea, Lampard made 648 appearances and is the club’s record goalscorer with 211 strikes. He won three Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, the Champions League and Europa League, starring in an era of unprecedented success for the club.
At Derby, Lampard won 24 games from 57 matches and also led them to the quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup.
They knocked out Manchester United, who were then managed by Lampard’s former boss Jose Mourinho, before being beaten by Chelsea.