Frank Lampard has emerged as a surprise contender to become Burnley’s new manager after Vincent Kompany‘s departure.
The former Manchester City captain was expected to be part of the Clarets’ future after being unable to keep them in the Premier League this season.
But, as detailed by Mail Sport last week, Bayern launched a surprise bid to lure him away from Turf Moor before agreeing a deal and announcing the shock appointment on Wednesday.
Burnley later confirmed that Craig Bellamy has taken over as acting Burnley head coach, as they step up their search for a new, permanent, first-team coach.
According to The Athletic, former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has emerged as a contender to succeed the Belgian in the Burnley dugout.
Frank Lampard has emerged as a surprise candidate to take on the vacant role at Burnley
Belgian boss Vincent Kompany left the Clarets to join the Bundesliga giants on Wednesday
Lampard, 45, hasn’t been in management since his caretaker role at Chelsea at the end of the 2022-23 campaign – when he took over after Graham Potter’s dismissal.
His last permanent role as manager lasted just under a year during a stint at Everton, where he recorded a run of just one win from 11 matches for the Toffees.
He’s set to step back into the dugout anyway next month, as he prepares to take on fellow ex-Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino at this year’s Soccer Aid.
Kompany has now been unveiled as Thomas Tuchel‘s successor as the club look to rebound from their first trophyless season in more than a decade.
And he revealed that the interest from the Bavarian club was not one that he sought. In fact, Kompany let slip that several offers had come his way despite Burnley’s dismal Premier League campaign.
‘Whilst I was being a coach and doing my job I didn’t have any time to think about anything else.’ The 38-year-old told reporters on Thursday.
‘When Max [Eberl, board member for sport] and Christoph [Freund, sporting director] called and eventually we spoke and met, I didn’t have a plan in my head to do anything. I was just doing my job.
‘You mentioned one club but just so you understand how am – I’m a very private person – I was actually quite fortunate to have a lot of interest from a number of other clubs as well.
‘But I never went looking for anything. I wasn’t interested in anything. I was happy to meet people and I met good people.
‘That was my decision. The players, the people inside the club, we see the same thing and understand the same thing but also the values and what we believe in.
Lampard hasn’t been in management since his caretaker role at Chelsea in the 2022-23 season
‘Then I felt like ‘okay, I have to do this’ but I was thinking that I had to go there or there. It was nothing like this.’
Bayern’s search for Thomas Tuchel’s successor has seen the likes of Xabi Alonso, former head coach Julian Nagelsmann and ex-Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick turn the role down.
The German giants had even tried to tempt Tuchel into staying after announcing his departure three months ago, but those U-turn talks failed to prompt a change of heart.
Kompany, who spent two seasons at Hamburg before joining Manchester City in 2008, speaks fluent German and his philosophy is said to have impressed the Bayern hierarchy.
