Frank Lampard, Chelsea Agree to Contract as Interim Head Coach

Frank Lampard and Chelsea can't quit one another.

The former Blues player and manager has returned to the club as an interim head coach until the end of the season following Graham Potter's sacking,

David Ornstein of The Athletic first reported the news.

Lampard, 44, was a legend as a Chelsea midfielder. His managerial career has been less decorated, however.

His first season as a manager came at Derby County in the Championship during the 2018-19 season, and he led the club to a sixth-place finish and a spot in the playoffs. Derby County reached the playoff final but lost to Aston Villa, 2-1.

But that strong season earned the attention of Chelsea, and he was hired as manager ahead of the 2019-20 season. He led the Blues to a fourth-place finish and a berth in the FA Cup final, losing to Arsenal.

The 2020-21 season saw things unravel, however, and Lampard was sacked in January 2021 after a run of just two wins in eight Premier League matches.

He then was hired by Everton in Jan. 2022 with the Toffees in danger of being relegated, and he managed to keep the club in the Premier League after a dramatic 3-2 win against Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season after Everton had trailed 2-0 at the half.

But just one win from 11 matches toward the middle of the 2022-23 season ended Lampard's time in charge this January. Now he's circling back to Chelsea, albeit on a short-term basis. He reportedly will be bringing back a coaching staff of Ashley Cole, Joe Edwards and Chris Jones, who all worked with him previously at both Chelsea and Everton.

The Blues sit just 11th in the Premier League, a shocking development given the sheer amount of spending the club has undergone in the past year to bolster the roster. They will also face defending European champions Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals starting next week.

As for the long-term managerial position, Ornstein reported that "Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann, fresh from being sacked by Bayern Munich, have both been linked to the Chelsea vacancy."