Report: Derby identify Charlton’s Lee Bowyer as potential Lampard replacement

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Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has been linked with Derby County.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Derby County have made discreet enquiries about Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer as current boss Frank Lampard remains heavily linked with Chelsea.

Lampard has enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in management. Despite not being able to guide Derby to promotion, he steered the club to a Championship playoff final playing an impressive style of football.

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has been under-fire for much of the season. The Italian helped the Blues to a third-place finish and a Europa League win, but that might not be enough for him to stay.

Sarri has been linked with a return to Italy with Juventus, and Lampard is seemingly the favourite to replace him with Chelsea seeing the Stamford Bridge favourite as the ideal man to take over amid a transfer embargo.

Derby will be desperate to keep hold of Lampard, yet the lure of returning to Chelsea and Champions League football could be too great for the former midfielder and the Rams are wise to consider a contingency plan.

Bowyer helped guide Charlton to promotion to the Championship after finishing third in League One. The Addicks defeated Sunderland 2-1 in the playoff final at Wembley.

The former Leeds United man has Charlton playing an attractive brand of football, while he also favours playing youth players with duo Lyle Taylor and Joe Aribo having stunning campaigns at The Valley.

Bowyer would fit in with Derby’s philosophy, and with his contract at Charlton expiring this summer, he would be a relatively cheap option for the Pride Park club who must be wary of Financial Fair Play rules.