Chelsea given permission to hold talks with Frank Lampard by Derby County

Derby County have given Chelsea permission to open talks with Frank Lampard over taking the vacant managerial role at Stamford Bridge, the Championship club have confirmed.

Lampard, who has been on holiday with his family in France, took Derby to the Championship play-off final where they lost to Aston Villa in his first season as a manager and told the Rams earlier this month that he wished to talk to Chelsea.

In a statement, Derby said: “Derby County Football Club can confirm that they have granted permission for Chelsea Football Club to speak to Frank Lampard about the vacant managerial position at Stamford Bridge.

“With pre-season fast approaching for both clubs it is hoped this will allow Chelsea to swiftly conclude their discussions.

“The club will make no further comment until it is appropriate to do so.”

In Pictures | Frank Lampard

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Derby will be owed at least £4million in compensation should Lampard take the job, and likely more if assistant manager Jody Morris, who joined him at Pride Park from the Chelsea academy, also return to the club. Lampard has two years remaining on his deal with the club.

Chelsea are also looking to bring former midfielder Claude Makelele back as a coach , while ex-goalkeeper Petr Cech was confirmed as a technical and performance advisor last week .

Lampard, meanwhile, will have to make quick decisions over further backroom staff and his squad upon arrival at Stamford Bridge. The future of Gianfranco Zola, who served as assistant to Sarri, is thought to lie in the hands of the new manager, while midfielder Mateo Kovacic will return to Real Madrid unless the club act on an option to make his loan deal, which ends on July 1, permanent.

With the club under a Fifa transfer ban, Lampard will not be able to bring any new faces to the squad but will instead focus on the youth ranks. Having worked with Chelsea youngsters Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori at Derby, the former England midfielder will already have a grasp on the prospects available to him.

Both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi are working their way back from injury with the latter this week saying his recovery was progressing well and that he hopes to return to working on the grass soon.

Another academy graduate, Tammy Abraham, this week backed Lampard to develop the exciting young talent at Stamford Bridge.

Photo: Getty Images
Getty Images

“Yes, if it was him to take over the job, I believe in ¬myself,” Abraham said.

“There is no better guy [than Lampard] to play under. Someone you have grown up watching, been at Chelsea forever. He knows about me as well. I played against his team in the play-off final.”

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