Just over two years after he was sacked by the club, former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has completed a remarkable return to Stamford Bridge and will serve as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
Lampard spent 18 months at the helm before he was ruthlessly axed by former Blues chief Roman Abramovich back in January 2021. But after current Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali elected to dismiss Graham Potter earlier this week, contact was quickly established with Lampard, who will now steady the ship until the club appoint a permanent manager in the summer.
Lampard will return to the dugout for the first time since he was sacked by Everton in January when Chelsea host Wolves on Saturday afternoon and is sure to receive a host of messages from well-wishers ahead of the big match.
It remains to be seen, though, if his former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be one of them. The two of them had a good relationship during Lampard's playing days, but Mourinho gave a fairly blunt assessment when he was questioned following Lampard's initial Stamford Bridge departure a couple of years ago.
When he was asked for his thoughts on Lampard's exit back in 2021, Mourinho, who was in charge of Tottenham at the time, simply said: "It is the brutality of modern football but when you become a manager you know that sooner or later it is going to happen."
Shortly after the appointment had been confirmed on Thursday, Lampard insisted that he had no doubts over agreeing to return to his club - even if the initial contact came as a bit of a surprise.
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"[It was] a surprise in terms of you never know the decision the club are going to make," he explained. "I've been particularly enjoying my time at home. When you get time at home you can throw yourself into your family.
"But it was easy decision for me, this is my club. I'm also a very practical person. I've been on a different path since I left Chelsea but to come back when I've been asked and I come back with a belief that I can help until the end of the season.
"I'm delighted to get the opportunity and I'm thankful. I've a good understanding of the squad, the training ground, the stadium and the fans and I'll do my best."
He also refused to rule out the prospect of staying on beyond the end of the season, hinting: "I am not getting ahead of myself in my role. I want to do the best I can to impact the club in this period and we will see what happens afterwards."
