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Football London
Football London
Sport
Josh Challies

Maurizio Sarri drops major hint at Chelsea exit with Frank Lampard favourite to replace him

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri continues to be heavily linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge to take the reins at Juventus, which would be a controversial move for the ex-Napoli boss.

Juventus and Napoli have a fierce rivalry, with the Neapolitans considering those who cross the divide to move to Turin as traitors - a tag Sarri has already been dubbed with by some as speculation continues to mount.

The Serie A champions are seeking a new manager to succeed Massimiliano Allegri, who announced his departure from the club ahead of the summer, and Sarri has long been tipped as a leading candidate for the role after just one year with Chelsea.

Such a move would certainly attract a major debate due to his previous ties with Napoli but Sarri, speaking at a Vanity Fair event, hit back at the traitor tags.

Maurizio Sarri with his medal after the Europa League final (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images) (James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)

"Who is a traitor? The one who subtracts. Who makes the individual objective prevail over the collective objective," CalcioMercato quotes him as saying.

"Therefore I like the front half, where there is the emblem of the company. Behind it is the name of the player: that side interests me less.

"Kiss the shirt? Why deprive yourself of an act of love in anticipation of what will happen perhaps in ten years? In Milan, many players have gone from here to there. It would be better not to do it directly, but in the course of a career it can happen."

With doubts over Sarri's future, Frank Lampard has been heavily linked with the hotseat at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard, who led Derby County to the play-off final last season, is thought to be the favourite to take over in South West London.

Frank Lampard celebrating with the Derby County fans (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

But former Blues winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was a team-mate of Lampard's for three years, believes the former England man should bide his time and continue his impressive work with the Rams.

“He may as well continue progressing as a coach and then when he goes there he goes there for good,” Wright-Phillips speaking exclusively to 888sport, said.

"That’s what I would like to see him do but if he feels ready for it – and only he knows – he should jump at it.

“I think if Frank gets the job he’s going to bring a feeling of calmness. He is Mr Chelsea.

“He knows what the club needs and how the football should be played for the fans to get back to enjoying it and fully supporting it.”

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