June 2019

Jamie Redknapp believes that Derby manager Frank Lampard would be the "perfect person" to replace Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager.

Lampard has been linked to the managerial job at Chelsea following his successful first season at Derby where he lost to Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final in May.

With Maurizio Sarri in talks to take over the vacant Juventus job, Lampard looks a likely option to replace Sarri at the helm of the Blues and his cousin Jamie Redknapp feels he would be a good fit.

Speaking at Stamford Bridge ahead of Soccer Aid for Unicef, Redknapp told Sky Sports News: "Frank would be the perfect person.

"Maurizio Sarri is still the manager right now so until that changes, if it were to change and if they need a manager next year, they need someone who's going to come in and stabilise the club.

"They have lost their best player (Eden Hazard) and they have got a transfer embargo for two or three windows, so you need someone that everybody loves and they will give them time."

However, Sky Sports News understands Derby have not yet received any approach for Lampard who made 640 appearances for the Blues and remains their all-time top scorer with 209 goals.

Redknapp believes that Lampard's legendary status at the club would benefit his chances of being allowed time to rebuild under the transfer embargo and bring youngsters though the academy.

He added: "[Lampard] knows the game and obviously Jody Morris will come back with him if he does do that and Jody knows all the young players and will want to give those guys a chance.

"It would be interesting but the fans here would love one of their own. They have never gone for an English manager as far as I can remember.

"I think Frank would be a great choice but whatever they do, whoever it is, even if it's not Frank, they will need to be patient.

"If you have lost Hazard, that's a huge loss to any team, so the manager has got to be given time and the club have got to state from the start that this manager is going to be given a good couple of years to work his stuff."