'Chelsea need you!' - Ferdinand urges former England team-mate Lampard to take Blues manager's job

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has urged Frank Lampard to become the new Chelsea manager.

The Blues are now without a boss after Maurizio Sarri returned to Italy to join Serie A champions Juventus last week, and their former midfielder is the man expected to take over.

The 41-year-old has reportedly already told his current club Derby County that he would wish to return to Stamford Bridge if an official approach is made, and Ferdinand believes his former England team-mate is the man for the job.

“They should do it! I think he will get it,” he said on former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba’s Instagram story.

“Is he talking? I think he’s talking and I think he’s going to get it. If he’s talking, he’s getting the job because he can talk.

“Frank, take the job man. Take it, Chelsea need you.

“He’s my friend. He should get the job, he deserves it.”

Lampard may be new to the managerial side of the game, but he has impressed since taking over at Pride Park in May 2018.

He guided the Rams to a sixth-place finish in the Championship last season and qualified for the play-offs as a result, where they would reach the final for the first time since 2014 before losing 2-1 to Aston Villa.

The former Chelsea midfielder is no stranger to success at Stamford Bridge, holding the club’s all-time top-scoring record with 211 goals as well as lifting 13 trophies over as many years, including the Champions League in 2012.

Individually, he also finished as runner-up to then-Barcelona forward Ronaldinho in the 2005 Ballon d’Or after a season in which he lifted the Premier League trophy and scored 19 goals across all competitions.

Derby’s club ambassador and former captain Michael Johnson recently urged the Blues to show more respect in their pursuit of Lampard, telling Sky Sports: “There has been no direct contact made by Chelsea, but you can't get away from the noises and it's probably going to be more 'when' than 'if'.

"From our side, from Derby's side, we want that little bit of respect from Chelsea's regard.

"If you're going to make the approach, just make the approach; be open and transparent about it.”