Chelsea are on the hunt for a new manager after Maurizio Sarri joined Juventus following just one season at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian won the Europa League and took Chelsea back into the top four in the Premier League during his first season in English football, but a difficult relationship with supporters and reportedly conflicts within his squad proved to be the undoing of the former Napoli manager.
With Sarri gone, Chelsea have turned to a club legend for an exciting new era with Frank Lampard top of their list to take the job.
However, Derby are desperate to keep hold of their man.
Standard Sport runs you through everything we know so far about his potential move back to Stamford Bridge…
Is a deal close?
Yes. Derby have granted Chelsea permission to open talks with Lampard and Standard Sport understands that his return to Stamford Bridge will be confirmed this week.
The former England midfielder - who is also Chelsea's record goalscorer - has been on holiday in France while the negotiations are rumbling along, but he is expected to agree a three-year deal to return to west London and be in situ before pre-season in early July.
Lampard has already told current club Derby County that he would want to return to Chelsea should they make a formal approach to the Championship club, who lost to Aston Villa in the play-off final at Wembley last month.
How much will he cost?
Derby County will be set for £4million in compensation should Lampard make the move to Chelsea
Who will he bring with him?
When he was appointed at Derby last summer, Lampard moved quickly to nab Jody Morris from the Chelsea academy and named him as his assistant at Pride Park.
The two have worked well together after Morris had lead Chelsea’s youngsters to incredible success before making the step up to senior level. It would come as a surprise were he not to follow Lampard back to London.
Gianfranco Zola, who worked as Sarri’s assistant last season, is widely expected to leave his role after his compatriot’s departure, while the Blues are moving to bring Claude Makelele back to the club in a coaching role. Another ex-player in Joe Cole is already at the club having taken up a role in the academy following his retirement.
Upstairs in the boardroom, Lampard’s former team-mate Petr Cech was appointed as a technical and performance advisor, returning to the club having retired following four years with Arsenal.
Is he good enough?
It is hard to tell after just one season in management. Opting to take up a role in the Championship, Lampard’s young Derby team, built with smart loan signings calling on connections at Chelsea as well as adding Liverpool’s Harry Wilson, were an exciting prospect.
He endured a war-of-words with Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa after it was revealed the Argentine had sent spies to watch Lampard’s Derby side train ahead of their Championship meeting. Leeds twice beat Derby during the season before the Rams finally got their revenge, Lampard coming out on top in a sensational play-off semi-final, second leg at Elland Road.
They fell short in the final, but with a transfer ban looking unlikely to be lifted at Stamford Bridge this summer, Lampard’s record with younger players, including Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori who worked under him at Derby, should bring a lot of encouragement to west London.
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