Derby to appoint Lampard

Frank Lampard is on the verge of becoming Derby County’s manager after lengthy negotiations. The Championship club approached Lampard last week and he is expected to agree terms in the next 48 hours, with Jody Morris, his former Chelsea team-mate, joining him.

Lampard has been looking for the right opportunity to get into coaching and Derby are confident they have done enough to persuade him to join.

Derby had been linked with Dean Smith, the Brentford manager, who was also on West Bromwich Albion’s shortlist, but Lampard will bring something different to a club who have struggled to get out of the second tier.

Derby believe the former England midfielder has the personality to succeed, despite his lack of managerial experience. The club were beaten by Fulham in the play-off semi-final this month and will expect to mount another promotion challenge next season, despite losing former manager Gary Rowett to Stoke City last week.

Lampard confirmed he was in talks with Derby over the weekend.

“There’s been interest from Derby and I’ve been speaking with them,” Lampard said during his role as a BT Sport pundit for the Champions League final. “I’m ambitious and I want to become a manager. It’s a big club, with a big tradition and a big history, which I really like. We’ll carry on speaking when I go home, and we’ll see.”

Given the 39-year-old’s own lack of experience in the dugout, the prospect of Morris – also 39 – joining him on the staff is a gamble.

Morris, though, has done a fine job as manager of the Chelsea Under-18 side, winning the FA Youth Cup two years running. Lampard and Morris have been friends since they played in England age-group sides and there is a chance they will be joined by a more senior figure.