As expected, Chelsea found an interim solution when looking for a new head coach. Frank Lampard is returning to the Premier League club as caretaker manager.
The 44-year-old former English national soccer player will take over the club until the end of the season, as the eleventh in the table announced. “The decision was pretty easy for me, this is my club,” said Lampard at his introduction. He connects a lot of feelings and emotions with Chelsea and thanks the decision-makers for giving him the opportunity to train Chelsea again.
The British TV broadcaster Sky Sports had previously reported that Lampard had accepted an offer until the end of the season as manager after the online portal “The Athletic” reported on an agreement in principle. Lampard was last at the stadium at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s 0-0 draw against Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool FC.
“We are delighted to welcome Frank back to Stamford Bridge,” said co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali in a club statement. Lampard is a member of the Premier League Hall of Fame and is a legend at the club.
Chelsea buys time to look for a successor
The interim solution with the 44-year-old gave those responsible time to look for a successor to Graham Potter, who was fired as head coach. “As we continue our thorough and comprehensive process for a permanent head coach, we want to present the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the rest of the season,” said Boehly and Eghbali.
The two-time Champions League winner is looking for a new coach after splitting from Potter earlier this month. Recently, the former Spanish national coach Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann, who had recently been released from FC Bayern Munich, were in conversation.
Lampard has been without a club since January
Lampard had already coached Chelsea from 2019 to 2021 and was then replaced by current Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel. Lampard then managed Everton FC and had been without a club since January. According to The Athletic, Lampard and his assistants Ashley Cole, Joe Edwards and Chris Jones are set to take over the club from international Kai Havertz.
Lampard makes his debut on the Chelsea bench in Saturday’s league game at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Next Wednesday is the quarter-final first leg in the Champions League at defending champions Real Madrid.
