Chelsea to swoop for Man Utd target as Lampard plans take shape

Stuart Telford

• 7 Apr 2023 14:53 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea want to beat Manchester United to Goncalo Ramos' signature, with the Blues finally giving Frank Lampard the kind of player he demanded two years ago.

Lampard returned to Chelsea on Thursday, replacing Graham Potter on a caretaker basis having himself been sacked by the Blues in January 2021.

Chelsea were ninth when the club legend was dismissed, but there had been tension before results dipped, with Lampard blocked from signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by then co-director Marina Granovskaia.

READ: Ten Hag 'tells Man Utd board' to sign €100m striker who idolises Ronaldo

In a cruel twist of fate, Aubameyang has since followed Lampard to the club, but looks set to leave on a free at the end of the season with Barcelona the favourites to sign their former player.

Lampard's preferred 4-2-3-1 system demands a striker, and with Kai Havertz struggling to lead the line, Chelsea are set to give him one this summer - provided Lampard is still in the job.

'Chelsea eyeing summer move'

"Chelsea are eyeing a summer move for red-hot Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos," report Football Insider. "The striker is represented by Gestifute - the same agency taking care of on-loan Chelsea star Joao Felix."

READ: Ancelotti could make shock Chelsea return

Erik ten Hag has reportedly green-lighted a move for the Portuguese, meanwhile, with United attracted the fact that unlike other targets Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen, he is likely available for aa little as €70m.

Chelsea have most recently been linked with a move for former manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is expected to leave Real Madrid in the summer if they surrender their La Liga title to Barcelona.

Part of the attraction with the Italian is his track record for developing coaches as well as players, and his influence over Lampard could prove a positive for the former midfielder, who scored 27 times in all competitions as Ancelotti steered Chelsea to the domestic double in 2010.

Reports have also emerged that Chelsea began sounding Lampard out in the last week of February as their faith in Potter waned, with the new man asked about potential targets then.