Chelsea legend Frank Lampard 'on final shortlist' for head coach role as he seeks return to management

Chelsea icon Frank Lampard could make his return to first-team management soon as he has been heavily linked with the vacant Charlotte FC post in Major League Soccer (MLS).

It seems he is keen to get back into first-team coaching - according to a report from the Metro, he has previously applied for the vacant posts at Bristol City and Rangers. In addition to this, he was also believed to be on the shortlist for Ligue 1 outfit Lyon. According to The Athletic, Lampard is among the final candidates as Charlotte FC consider who their next head coach will be.

Lampard has had two stints in charge of Chelsea, both of which ended in unfortunate circumstances. He was sacked in his first stint after one and a half years, while his second tilt at the job was in an interim capacity - he won just one Premier League game out of 11 during his second spell.

He was much more successful at Stamford Bridge as a player. During his active career at Chelsea, Lampard scored 147 Premier League goals for the Blues, winning three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League cups, one Champions League trophy and one Europa League trophy.

Who else is in the running for the Charlotte job?

Lampard isn't the only ex-Premier League head coach who has been linked with a move to Charlotte - former Leicester City and Aston Villa boss Dean Smith is also thought to be in the running, according to a report from GOAL.

The report also mentions that 'several other' managers are in the mix, but it does not name them. As such, Lampard will face strong competition for the role - Smith famously guided Aston Villa to a 7-2 win over Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool back in 2020.

Despite this, unlike Smith, Lampard has experience in the MLS - albeit as a player, rather than as a manager. He signed for New York City FC in 2015, playing for them until his retirement in 2016.