Chelsea ‘world bomb’ as ex-River Plate boss ‘offered’ permanent role after Lampard

Chelsea have ‘offered the position of coach’ to former River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo, according to a report.

In what is described by TyC Sports in a tweet as a ‘WORLD BOMB’, Chelsea ‘entered into negotiations with the former River coach, with the aim that he can officially disembark from next season’.

A later article, picked up by Sport Witness, but more meat on the bones, claiming talks had taken place between Chelsea and the man nicknamed ‘The Doll’.

The report states: ‘The names of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann took center stage. Along with them, the one with the Doll appeared, whom the Blues contacted directly. In that call, Gallardo would have stated that he is not willing to take the reins of the club in the middle of the season, but that he would sit down to talk to start in June.’

Frank Lampard has been reinstated by Chelsea as their interim manager, and it’s claimed that ‘Lampard’s situation falls like a glove for Gallardo’s request’.

It’s further added that ‘Gallardo and part of his coaching staff began to study English a while ago’ in preparation for a Premier League job.

Gallardo is highly regarded in South America, having won the Uruguayan title with Nacional before moving to River Plate, with whom he won 14 trophies including two Copa Libertadores titles.

It may be wise to take this report with a pinch of salt, but they say there’s no smoke without fire, so while we very much doubt Gallardo has actually been offered the job (), Chelsea may well have held talks with the 47-year-old, who left River Plate at the end of last year after eight years with the club.

For now, it’s Lampard in charge at Chelsea, and the club legend admitted he was surprised to have received the call to return to Stamford Bridge.

On how the opportunity arose, :”A surprise in terms of you never know the decision the club are going to make. I’ve been particularly enjoying my time at home. When you get time at home you can throw yourself into your family.

“I’ve been pretty happy in that position but when I spoke to Paul and Laurence in the last 24-48 hours and what this is now, it was a decision that was, not simple, Chelsea can’t be simple, but that decision came through.

On whether, hand on heart, he thought he’d manage Chelsea again, Lampard said: “I didn’t think I’d ever be in this seat. I’m a confident person, I want to work hard and understand the game. It wasn’t my thought that I’d one day be back as Chelsea manager, it wasn’t in the first part of my mind.

“Not unfinished business. Now I’m here in a different period and just want to do as well as I can. Unfinished business just seems a little bit Hollywood.”