Chelsea
and Juventus remain in talks over a Maurizio Sarri compensation package -
with any deal set to trigger a move for Frank Lampard.
Juventus are trying to negotiate a deal without the need for compensation,
but Chelsea are holding out for the majority of the final year of Sarri's
contract, worth around £5.3m.
Any agreement for the 60-year-old to head back to Italy will then prompt an
official approach from Chelsea to Derby for permission to speak to Lampard
about becoming Roman Abramovich's 12th manager in 16 years.
Derby have not yet received any approach for Lampard, Sky Sports News
understands.
Lampard said he would discuss his future with Derby after the club failed to
win promotion to the Premier League following their play-off final defeat to
Aston Villa last month.
"I'm not interested in the speculation," he told Sky Sports after that
match.
Sarri has told Chelsea he wants to return to Italy after one season in
England and the club have said they will not stand in his way.
He had the option of another year on his contract, but never felt
comfortable living and working in England and was frustrated he did not have
a close relationship with the decision-makers at Chelsea.
Sarri's replacement will not be able to sign any new players, as things
stand, with Chelsea having appealed against their two-window transfer ban
imposed by FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Europa League champions were sanctioned in February for breaching rules
regarding the signing of U18 foreign players, but were unsuccessful in their
appeal to FIFA in May.
Lampard has only 12 months experience in the dugout - all in the Sky Bet
Championship - but former team-mate Rio Ferdinand believes he is the ideal
candidate to take over at Chelsea, especially if their transfer ban is
upheld.
"He is the perfect choice," said Ferdinand. "People talk about experience
and what-not but what experience did Pep (Guardiola) have when he went into
Barcelona's first team? He trained the younger kids at the club.
"Frank knows the club and he knows the players and the players will respect
him. You can see he can carry himself in a particular way in front of the
media and in the football club and he can change things within a season.
"If Chelsea are going to get a ban transfer-wise I don't think they can look
anywhere but Frank if I'm honest.
"Because he and Jody (Morris, Derby assistant manager) they know all the
kids from 16 upwards. They know what they can all do.
"Chelsea have had the best young kids in the country for a while now - Man
City are coming around that but for the good years they have had the best
kids and none of them get in the first team.
"As a football club, you would think they would like to change that. If they
want to change that there is no one but Frank."
top