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Frank Lampard: Chelsea will announce legend’s appointment as new manager within next 48 hours – talkSPORT sources
The Stamford Bridge hero is heading home
Chelsea will appoint Frank Lampard as their new manager within the next 48 hours, talkSPORT sources understand.
The Blues legend, 41, will return to Stamford Bridge after just one season in management at Derby County, to succeed Maurizio Sarri after his exit to Juventus.
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He will take Jody Morris, his former Chelsea team-mate and current No.2 at Derby, back with him to Stamford Bridge as his assistant boss.
Lampard made 648 appearances for Chelsea across a wildly successful 13 year spell, and left in 2014 as the London club’s all-time record goalscorer with 211 strikes.
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He will depart Derby County after guiding them to within a whisker of Premier League promotion, with the Rams beaten by Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final.
The former England midfielder was lauded for his work with a number of talented young players at Pride Park and for turning Derby into one of the second-tier’s most entertaining teams.
In particular, his work with Chelsea youngsters Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori - who was voted Derby's player of the season by fans - has impressed the Blues hierarchy.
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Derby were desperate to keep him, with owner Mel Morris reportedly offering him a bumper £10million contract to stay, but it appears the lure of taking over at Stamford Bridge was just too strong to resist.
Lampard has informed the Rams he wants to go and a compensation package is close to being agreed with Chelsea for his release.
He will leave Derby with 24 wins from 57 matches, for a win ratio of 42.1 per cent.
Lampard faces a difficult task at Chelsea, though, as he returns with the club staring down the barrel of a two-window transfer ban and having just lost talisman Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
But with the Blues sending 43 players out on loan last season, Lampard will have his pick of the club's top young talent as the legend kicks off a new era at Stamford Bridge.
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