Chelsea news: Frank Lampard issues official response to return rumours

24 Apr 2026 13:10 BST |
5 min read

Frank Lampard has played down speculation that he could return to Chelsea for a third spell as manager following the sacking of Liam Rosenior earlier this week.

The Blues legend spent 18 months in charge from 2019 to 2021, before returning in a caretaker role after the exit of Graham Potter towards the end of the 2022-23 season.

His return to Stamford Bridge in an interim capacity came just months after he was fired by Everton and he has since rebuilt his career at Coventry. After guiding them to the play-offs last season, Lampard has led the club to the Championship title this time around.

There have been no concrete links suggesting that Lampard is on Chelsea’s radar amid their pursuit of a new permanent head coach, but his name has unsurprisingly floated around due to his longstanding connection with the club.

However, Lampard remains fully focused on Coventry, having guided the club back to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.

Speaking ahead of Coventry’s clash against Wrexham on Sunday, Lampard told reporters (via CoventryLive): “Well I definitely don’t want to talk about Liam and Chelsea because I’ve been there and I never want to talk too much about managers because of context behind the scenes, etc.

“I think it’s disrespectful to have a judgement on it. That’s for pundits to have a judgement. I’m Coventry manager, I’m enjoying my moment of us being promoted and winning the title, and that’s it.”

When asked for his thoughts on Chelsea’s struggles this season, the Blues legend added: “It’s a difficult patch, for sure, and we as managers know that in those difficult patches the consequences that can be. And I think we all have to be big enough to understand that.

“But as a football club, they’re in a difficult patch. They have a chance probably to be able to get something out of the season with the FA Cup and the league position, if they can make that better, but it’s Chelsea’s business.

“Chelsea’s a big part of my life but at the moment it’s their business and my business is here.”

Coventry comment on Frank Lampard exit rumours

Coventry owner Doug King has also poured cold water on rumours that Lampard could leave for Chelsea.

He told BBC Sport on Thursday: “You can see how emotionally connected [Lampard] is with the city, you can see what it meant to him to get promotion and then the title and I think he’s found a happy place at the moment.

“It doesn’t mean there’s not going to be some staggering bid for him in the summer and he’ll have to make his choices, because he’s shown his credentials as a high quality head coach, but I’m not going to comment on that, I can’t control it.

“I just think he’s happy, I’m happy, everybody’s happy, we’ve just got smiles on our faces and we don’t worry about what may or may not happen for the head coach.”

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