Frank Lampard: Coventry boss talks key future between Premier League links

Behind the scenes at Crystal Palace are Lampard’s fans, who need a new head coach Oliver Glasner is leaving.

The level of interest from Palace will become clear in due course as the club accelerate their efforts to identify Glassner’s successor. Outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, former Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche, ex-Spurs boss Thomas Frank, Lens head coach Pierre Sage and Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna are among other possible contenders.

A move to Selhurst Park would allow Lampard to return to London, as would the Fulham job.

The Craven Cottage side are yet to confirm whether head coach Marco Silva is renewing his contract. As it stands, the Portuguese will leave at the end of the season when his existing contract expires.

Given his Chelsea connections, taking over at Fulham may require extra mental consideration from Lampard.

However, like Palace, the west London side are an established Premier League outfit that could provide a stable platform for Lampard. Now that he is back in the top league, he will want to stay there.

Then, of course, there’s the Chelsea vacuum – although Lampard’s former club appear to be focusing on others, including Irraola and Silva, among their current targets.

Bournemouth were also linked with Lampard after Iraola’s departure was confirmed – but the Cherries confirmed Marco Rose replaces the Spaniard.

Should any club formalize their interest in Lampard in the coming weeks, compensation could emerge as a factor.

Doug King – the club’s owner and chairman – looks relaxed.

Speaking to BBC CWR, King said: “Everybody is going to be involved in everything. It’s a merry-go-round. It’s a bit frustrating clubs are appointing three or four managers a season.

“You can see how emotionally attached (Lampard) is to City, you can see what it meant to him to get promotion and then the title and I think he’s found a happy place at the moment.

“That doesn’t mean there won’t be some wonderful bids for him in the summer and he’ll have to make his choices, because he’s shown his credentials as a high-quality head coach, but I’m not going to comment on that, I can’t control that.

“I just think he’s happy, I’m happy, everybody’s happy, we just got smiles on our faces and we don’t worry about what may or may not happen for the head coach.”