Derby will demand a multi-million pound compensation package should Chelsea look to take Frank Lampard back to Stamford Bridge as manager according to Sky Sports News.
Frank Lampard’s Derby County managed a Play-Off final appearance last season, eventually losing 2-1 to Aston Villa at Wembley. As a result of this, Lampard has turned the heads of the Chelsea hierarchy.
A clause in Lampard’s contract at Pride Park means that the newly crowned Europa League Champions would have to stump up £4m should they want the former midfielder in charge for the start of the 2019/20 season.
The ex-Chelsea man would jump at the chance to manage his former club I’m sure, but, having just lost their best player in Eden Hazard to Real Madrid and currently being under a transfer embargo, perhaps this might be a fairly difficult time to take the reigns.
Derby would be reluctant to see Lampard go coming off the back of a fairly successful first season in management, culminating in finally beating Leeds at the fourth attempt at Elland Road in the play off semi-final second leg, and I’m sure they would’ve been looking to build on last seasons achievements, but the pulling power of a club with Chelsea’s stature may be just too much for The Rams to compete with.
However, the inclusion of a £3.5m clause (£4m if the club is in the Champions League) for compensation should he be poached is a decent little buffer which could be used in replacing him with a manager of similar or even better quality.
Lampard would look to take his partner in crime and former Chelsea colleague Jodie Morris with him as his number two, so it could be a nice little reunion in South West London should the move happen.
No formal offer has come in from Chelsea just yet, but there are strong murmurs that a deal is wanted by both Chelsea and Lampard.
How do the Derby fans feel about this?