Frank Lampard’s Chelsea return has been engineered with the hope of bringing the feelgood factor back to Stamford Bridge.
The club’s record goalscorer has agreed to become the interim boss for the remainder of the season, following the sacking of Graham Potter. It is understood Chelsea chiefs have put Lampard back in the dugout as they prioritise a long-term appointment at the end of the season.
The 44-year-old was axed as Blues boss by the previous regime in 2021, but has answered their SOS call for the final weeks of the season. And there’s still plenty to play for, with Chelsea in a desperate battle to secure European football for next season - as well as the small matter of a Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid next week.
The final weeks of Potter’s tenure saw a fanbase which had become increasingly fractured, an issue Lampard will almost certainly not have to face. And as well as quickly getting the supporters on board, there are a number of familiar faces in the dressing room who will be delighted with his return.
Mason Mount is certain to be in that camp after enduring one of the more difficult seasons of his young career. The 24-year-old has seen his future become a constant talking point amid contract negotiations, with his form on the pitch suffering as a result.
Mount was an unused substitute for the final two Premier League matches under Potter and hasn’t scored a league goal since the turn of the year. It was a different story under Lampard however, who played a key role in the England international’s development from youngster to Chelsea regular.
Lampard first linked up with the midfielder during his time at Derby County, with the two helping the Rams all the way to the play-off final in 2019. And once Lampard was named Chelsea boss, he quickly made Mount an integral part of a young Blues side forced to utilise their squad under the umbrella of a transfer embargo.
And the respect the pair had for each other was on clear display in the months after Lampard’s sacking, when he joked that he had taught Mount everything he knew. The former Three Lions skipper was appearing on BBC as part of their coverage of Euro 2021 and was asked whether his protege’s all-round game was something that came naturally, to which Lampard replied: “I taught him it! When he came to Derby he couldn’t do anything!”
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During Mount's post-match interview following England’s win over Croatia, he was told about his former coach’s comments, to which he replied with a big grin: “Thanks to him!”
In typical Lampard fashion, after his joke he offered a more serious review of Mount in a hint that could suggest he will be back as a key figure under his stewardship again. “He’s got the intelligence. He knows the right runs to go, he has the work ethic. He will run all day and give everything.
“That’s why, when you’re playing that midfield, he has to play in this team. He’s the best attacking midfielder in terms of pressing and jumping from midfield to win the ball back.”
