Chelsea close to dream £95m transfer outcome as Frank Lampard offers four fresh deals

With the news that Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is closing in on being appointed as the new manager at Coventry City, according to reports, there is an opportunity to once more make the most of connections. It will be the 46-year-old's first coaching job back in football for over 18 months.

Lampard was last involved at a club when acting as interim at Chelsea, his second spell as manager of the club. Taking over in April 2023 after Graham Potter was sacked just seven months into a five-year contract, the former midfielder oversaw a disastrous end to the campaign.

However, the woes at Stamford Bridge don't seem to have stopped him from getting back into the game as the Telegraph report that final touches are being put on his move to Coventry after being identified as a suitable candidate for the role. Lampard will replace Mark Robins after he was sacked earlier this month.

Coventry, who were the losing Championship play-off finalists in 2023 and came close to beating Manchester United in last season's dramatic FA Cup semi final, are currently 17th in the table. Robins, who had been in charge for over six years in his own return to the club, was dismissed in surprise fashion after a defeat to Derby at the start of November.

He had won the previous two games, going unbeaten in three before the loss, but had overseen a disappointing start to the campaign overall. The decision to remove him from his post has been unpopular with many associated with Coventry.

Lampard, however, has previous in the division, leading a young and exciting Derby side to the play-off final himself in 2019. Benefitting from his Chelsea links and assistant manager Jody Morris - who was the Under-21s boss at Cobham prior to linking up with Lampard - Derby came close to securing promotion.

He made good use of access to Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori at Pride Park, both of whom have gone on to have successful careers playing in the Champions League. Lampard also took on Harry Wilson from Liverpool.

The experiences were springboard moments for all three, especially Tomori who hadn't spent senior time away from Chelsea up to that point. Just over 12 months on from securing a move to the Midlands, Tomori and Mount were starring as academy gradudates under Lampard in a youthful Chelsea side that would beat Ajax's superteam away from home as well as landing impressive wins over Arsenal, Tottenham (twice) and finishing in the top four.

In the past Lampard was heavily interested in taking both Armando Broja and Billy Gilmour to Everton. Callum Hudson-Odoi had also been mentioned as a name.

Lampard is not the only former Chelsea figure to be offered the chance to make use of some of Cobham's finest talents. Earlier this season Mark Robinson - who left his spot as the development team coach to join Burton Albion, albeit for a brief period before he was sacked - saw Dylan Williams and Ronnie Stutter make the stepup to men's football.

Chelsea and Coventry have connections before Lampard, as well. Adi Viveash, formerly assstant manager at Coventry, worked in the Chelsea academy and saw Kasey Palmer, Jay Dasilva, Ian Maatsen, Fankaty Dabo, Dujon Sterling, and Jake Clarke-Salter all move to the club whilst he was in place.

By the time Maatsen moved on, via a loan at Burnley, he generated over £37million for the club. Marc Guehi joined Swansea shortly after Chelsea had ties to Paul Clement, with Conor Gallagher joining him for the second half of the 2019/20 season. Gallagher was sold for £38million himself this summer. Guehi joined Crystal Palace for £20million. In total it is £95million made with the aid of loans along the way.

For Chelsea, it is the possibility of a controlled loan under trusted management that makes the offer to go through Lampard, or other known managers, attractive. Meanwhile, for coaches, it is the chance to work with some of the most talented young players in the country as they go in search of senior game time.

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It does not always work out, but that does not mean it is wrong to try. Chelsea currently have a stacked Under-21 squad which includes players signed for £17million (Deivid Washington) or those who have played at League One level already (Harvey Vale).

Both would benefit from a domestic loan and Lampard may well be the man to give them a go, if not in January, then in later 2025. The worry is that it isn't the happiest of environments to walk into mid-season as Coventry look to avoid getting dragged into a serious relegation scrap.

Back at Cobham and Felipe Coelho's development squad is extremely strong. Even when giving 17-year-old Shumaira Mheuka regular minutes playing up the age groups, a team with Ishe Samuels-Smith (signed from Everton in 2022 but more than ready for a senior test), Vale, Washington, and standout youth players is showing signs of needing an extra challenge.

Brodi Hughes, one of the best young defenders around, is another who looks ready for a loan, whilst Sam Rak-Sakyi and Kiano Dyer have been involved in first team training under Enzo Maresca. Tyrique George is another, but he appears to be on a different pathway which involves playing midweek and 'B-team' football in the Conference League.

Lampard could help Chelsea change this and speed up the development of a core group of talented players.