Frank Lampard back in the dugout? Chelsea legend linked with sensational return to English football following Canada links

According to The Athletic, the former midfielder is a leading candidate to fill the managerial vacancy at Burnley, following Vincent Kompany's recent move to Bayern Munich. The club has temporarily appointed Craig Bellamy as the acting head coach while Mike Jackson takes on the role of acting assistant head coach. Both Bellamy and Jackson were integral parts of Kompany’s coaching staff at Burnley, serving as assistant manager and first-team coach, respectively.

Lampard, who has been out of management since his brief stint as Chelsea's caretaker manager at the end of the 2022-2023 season, has emerged as a surprising candidate for the Burnley job. His last permanent role was with Everton, where he was dismissed after less than a year due to poor results. He was also linked with the vacant managerial role for the Canadian national team but chose to turn it down.

A statement put out by Burnley read: “Following the departure of Vincent Kompany, we are actively working on our search for a permanent manager. In the meantime, the Club has placed Craig Bellamy, assisted by Mike Jackson, in the roles of acting head coach and assistant head coach.

“We have complete faith in Craig and Mike and believe their extensive experience and deep understanding of the club make them the perfect candidates to lead the team at this important time. We will provide further updates regarding a permanent manager in due course.”

Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper was also considered for the position but has since ruled himself out of the running. This has further paved the way for Lampard to potentially step into the role, should Burnley’s interest materialise into a formal offer. The Clarets’ established squad and supportive infrastructure could provide the ideal environment for him to implement his footballing philosophy and achieve long-term success.