Frank Lampard‘s return to Chelsea is set to be announced with the Derby manager excused from the start of pre-season training to conclude negotiations.
The club legend is the clear favourite for the top job at Stamford Bridge with right-hand man Jody Morris set to come with him.
The Rams are searching for a new manager on the assumption the 41-year-old will leave Pride Park.
"Derby County Football Club has excused Frank Lampard from reporting back for pre-season training on Monday and Tuesday to allow his discussions regarding a potential move to Chelsea to be concluded as soon as possible," read a statement on the club's official website.
Despite the impending transfer ban Chelsea are set to announce the permanent arrival of Mateo Kovacic imminently.
A deal, for a fee of around £40m, was agreed during the previous loan spell meaning the transfer can still go through despite Fifa's sanctions.
And the club appear to have hinted that an announcement could come sooner rather than later.
A passage on a Q&A on the official website read: "After securing a permanent switch to Stamford Bridge following a successful loan spell at Chelsea from Real Madrid, we caught up with Mateo Kovacic to find out what some of his first footballing memories are..."
In addition the Croatian wasn't included in a list of five players leaving earlier this morning, a list that included club captain Gary Cahill and fellow loanee Gonzalo Higuain.
Bayern Munich have reportedly made a £22.4m bid for Callum Hudson-Odoi, according to the Daily Mail.
However, the 18-year-old is set to sign a new long-term deal with the club, and will not be allowed to leave by Chelsea this summer, even if an agreement isn’t concluded.
Tiemoue Bakayoko, who spent last season on loan at AC Milan, is set to return to the club, but his route into the first-team is now less clear with Kovacic on his way, while Lampard is likely to favour Ruben Loftus-Cheek when the Englishman returns from injury.
Fellow loanee Kurt Zouma could leave the club this summer but the club are keen to sort their managerial situation out before making a final decision.
The Daily Star report that the Blues would be looking for a fee of £30m with Everton, where he spent last year on loan, keen.
