Explained: Why Frank Lampard has entered England camp as fans speculate on whether ex-Chelsea boss could be Gareth Southgate's successor

The two-time former Chelsea boss has been out of work since his disastrous second spell at Stamford Bridge, which ended in the summer. Lampard has, in that time, continued to make appearances in the media and on punditry duties, but a recent appearance has seen rumours of his next job begin to circulate. The ex-midfielder was spotted at the Three Lions recent camp at St George's Park alongside former Blues assistant Joe Edwards.

While England's post on their official channels gave no context, The Times' chief football writer Henry Winter was on hand to give an explanation. He wrote on X that Lampard and Edwards were specifically invited by FA technical director John McDermott, who can be seen in the middle of the photo above. Winter gave no inkling as to whether this invite reflected a future job opportunity, though it seems unlikely.

However, that didn't stop the speculation beginning to circulate online. One fan, @kollnus, posed that Lampard was being lined up for the senior management role, writing on X: "Could it mean... Lampard to take over from Southgate?". Another, @BurneyMcr1, speculated that he may be in contention for the England U21 role, should Lee Carsley move on, as he wrote: "I think Lampard will be the U21 boss when Carsley either takes the Ireland job or a club job (maybe Birmingham in the summer if Mowbray can’t come back?)."

Recent reports suggest Carsley has turned down that Ireland opportunity. But Birmingham remains a potential option, at least from the start of next season after Gary Rowett's interim appointment on Tuesday.

While Lampard is touted for the Three Lions role with a potential No.2 in Edwards - who is also available after his sacking as Milwall boss in February - rumours are already rife about Southgate's next adventure. Incredibly, he has been tipped to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United in the summer, as minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly made him the number one candidate for that role.