Frank Lampard has moved a step closer to landing the Chelsea job after Derby granted them permission to hold talks over the vacant position following Maurizio Sarri's exit, ESPN reports.
Chelsea is expected to finalise Lampard's appointment on a three-year deal this week, having signalled that they were prepared to meet Derby's demand for £4 million in compensation.
Derby had offered Lampard a new contract in an attempt to get him to stay, but are now resigned to losing the man who led them to the Championship playoff final in his first season as a coach.
Lampard is expected be accompanied to Stamford Bridge by former Chelsea academy coach Jody Morris and long-time fitness coach Chris Jones.
Lampard will also work closely with former Chelsea teammate Petr Cech, announced as the club's new technical and performance adviser on Friday.
Cech will provide advice on all football and performance matters, work to improve the pathway from the academy to the first-team squad and travel with the senior side home and away.
Another member of Chelsea's first Premier League title-winning team, Claude Makelele, has also been linked with a role helping to look after loan players, and academy coach Joe Edwards will be promoted.
With talks underway between both parties, the former Blues midfielder is expected to request a number of his staff follow him to Stamford Bridge
Derby County have allowed Chelsea permission to speak to Frank Lampard and he will request that between six to eight of his backroom staff are brought with him to Stamford Bridge.
According to several sources, his assistant Jody Morris is being considered for a reunion with his former club, while Chris Jones is also set to return, having been with the Blues during the Antonio Conte regime.
Derby's Head of Performance Analysis Steve Rands has also been mentioned as someone who Lampard would like to join him at Chelsea after he originally left Manchester City to move to the Rams with the former England midfielder.
Chelsea's Development Squad manager Joe Edwards is set to be promoted in line with Lampard's arrival, with the highly-rated young coach boasting a close relationship with Morris from his time in the academy.
The cost to release Lampard from his two-year contract with the Championship side is thought to be £4 million and further fees are likely to follow to secure the rest of the coaching staff.
Derby have already signalled their intent to give Lampard a pay rise if he chooses to stay and renew his deal at Pride Park, despite their manager being in discussions with the west Londoners over replacing Maurizio Sarri.
Sarri left Chelsea to join Juventus in a deal worth upwards of £5m after winning the Europa League final, with a host of his own Italian backroom staff, who had one-year rolling contracts, also departing and now needing to be replaced.
Claude Makelele is still in talks to return to a prominent role in the loan set-up at the club after leaving his managerial position at KAS Eupen, despite having been considered a success by the Belgian club.
Chelsea have already announced Petr Cech's return in a technical and performance advisor role where he will link up with both the academy and first team.
Further changes could be made behind the scenes, with further internal promotions expected. Michael Ballack is another former Blues player who has been linked with a return by the media in Germany as he is currently studying for his UEFA B Licence with the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
The former Germany international still enjoys a positive relationship with everyone at Chelsea and is regarded as a club legend.
The Premier League club would, therefore, consider offering him a role as they have with other players of that status, with Ballack, who shared a strong relationship with Lampard, having enjoyed living in London.
Discussions continue over Gianfranco Zola's future at the club, meanwhile, with the Italian having worked as Sarri's assistant last season.
Situation progressed after Derby Country gave Chelsea permission to speak to their current manager Frank Lampard about the possibility of taking over at Stamford Bridge, the Championship club said on Tuesday.
Lampard has emerged as the favourite to replace Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, after the Italian joined Serie A champions Juventus earlier this month.
Lampard, who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League as a player at Chelsea, led Derby to the Championship playoff final last season in his first year in management.
