Chelsea have announced the departure of first team coach Joe Edwards, who has left to join former Blues boss Frank Lampard at Everton.
Edwards has spent 27 years with the Blues after joining the club as a schoolboy player before progressing through the coaching ranks. The 35-year-old worked with the youngest members of the Blues academy before leading the Under-18s to two FA Youth Cup victories in a two-year spell.
Edwards was promoted to lead coach of the development squad before again being promoted to assistant coach when Lampard was appointed Chelsea boss in the summer 2019, having had a vast knowledge of the Blues' Cobham products.
He continued in his role with Thomas Tuchel and was part of the backroom staff that enjoyed Champions League success, but the club do not plan to replace him at this time.
Edwards joins the Toffees as Lampard's assistant manager, while Paul Clement, who was assistant to Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea and Real Madrid, and Chris Jones, another former Blues coach, head to Goodison Park as first team coaches. Jones left the Blues along with Jody Morris when Lampard was sacked in January 2021.
The move to Everton sees Lampard take on his first job following his departure from Stamford Bridge. The ex-midfielder believes the club can match his ambition.
Lampard said: "It is a huge honour for me to represent and manage a club the size and tradition of Everton Football Club. I’m very hungry to get started.
"After speaking to the owner, chairman and the board, I very much felt their passion and ambition. I hope they felt my ambition and how hard I want to work to bring it together.
"You can feel the passion Everton fans have for their club. That will be hugely important. As a team – the competitive level that the Premier League brings and the position we are in the table – we certainly need that.
"It's a two-way thing. I think Everton is a unique club in that you can really understand what the fans want to see. The first thing they want is fight and desire and that must always be our baseline.
"My first message to the players will be that we have to do this together. We'll try to do our job and I know the fans will be there backing us."
Chelsea are set to take on their former coach April 30th with a trip to Goodison Park.
