June 2019

Tammy Abraham insists he is ready to break into Chelsea's first team next season and says "there is no better guy to play under" than Frank Lampard.

Chelsea are expected to make an approach for Derby manager Lampard after finding an agreement for Maurizio Sarri to leave Stamford Bridge and become Juventus head coach earlier this month.

Abraham says "there is no better time for a young player to be at Chelsea" with the club facing a two-window transfer ban imposed by FIFA, and is excited by the prospect of working under the club's record-scorer.

"Yeah, if it was Lampard to take over the job. I believe in myself and there is no better guy to play under as well," said the 21-year-old, who scored 26 times on loan for Aston Villa last season.

"He's someone you have grown up watching and has been at Chelsea forever. Like I say, he knows about me as well - I played against his [Derby] team in the Championship play-off final!"

Chelsea's transfer embargo means they are unable to replace Eden Hazard, who they sold to Real Madrid earlier this month for a fee which could rise to £130m.

But Abraham - and the 40 other players Chelsea sent out on loan last season, including his England U21 team-mates Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori - will be hopeful they can take advantage of the club's predicament.

"Yes, definitely. That's how all the young players at the club are looking at it," said the forward, who will return home after England U21s failed Euro 2019 campaign following Monday's final Group C game with Croatia.

"There is a great chance for us so we must get our heads down and training and go for it at Chelsea.

"I have already been talking to the club about pre-season. I'm going to have a couple of weeks and then come back hitting the ground running.

"I feel I needed that little push, some people might call more experience. Obviously I had a season at Swansea which didn't go too well but that is another experience in itself.

"I had that season at Bristol City, my first experience of proper men's football that gave me such a valuable insight into what to expect.

"Then this season at Aston Villa as well when I played under the pressure of people asking if I could score goals and help them get back into the Premier League.

"Well I have been there, done that and now I have full confidence in my ability to score for Chelsea in the Premier League."