Chelsea are set to offer Frank Lampard the reins after Maurizio Sarri joined Juventus this weekend.
The Blues confirmed that Sarri has left the club after a year in charge, delivering the Europa League title and securing Champions League football for next season.
While the chain-smoking Italian wasn’t an outright failure at Stamford Bridge, Sarri told club management that he was desperate to return to his homeland to be close to his ailing parents.
JUVENTUS-BOUND: Boss Maurizio Sarri. Photo: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters.
If it’s for sentimental reasons that they allowed Sarri to leave, one could say the same thing for the move to bring top-goalscorer Lampard back to the club.
Thank you and good luck for the future, Maurizio. 👍 pic.twitter.com/dGHzekBNPT
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 16, 2019
Derby, Lamp’s current employer, will not stand in his way, provided Chelsea are respectful in their pursuit and pay £4m compensation.
Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has his admirers in the Blues’ boardroom but sources in Holland believe he will spend another year in Amsterdam, while former Juventus boss Max Allegri ruled himself out.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo and Watford’s Javi Gracia were also linked with the job but both would be difficult to get out of their respective clubs.
Lampard would bring Chelsea academy graduate Jody Morris and former coach Chris Jones with him from Derby.
LINKED TO ROLE: Didier Drogba. Photo: John Sibley/Reuters.
Petr Cech is also set to return in a technical role, though no final decision will be made until his Arsenal contract expires on June 30.
There is also a long-standing desire to bring Didier Drogba back to the club in some capacity, while former midfielder Claude Makelele, who quit as manager of Belgian side Eupen on Monday, has also been linked with a return.