EXCLUSIVE: Abramovich ponders bringing back familiar Chelsea face
TEAMtalk sources understand Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is considering bringing Avram Grant back to the club in some capacity.
Grant, 65, is currently talking to a number of clubs, mainly in the Middle East having served as a football consultant in Indian football.
Grant previously served as director of football and manager of Chelsea, before similar spells with West Ham and Portsmouth.
The Israeli was in charge of Chelsea during the 2007/08 campaign when they finished as runners-up in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League.
Over the weekend Grant, who was considered for a role at Newcastle in 2019, did wade into the Frank Lampard debate.
“What I can say to Frank and the others at the club is be patient, and more than this do whatever is necessary to do that for sure,” Grant said in an Instagram post.
“Two things – never lose it even when things are going well, don’t lose your fighting spirit at the highest level. And second, don’t lose what you have here [points at head], you need to think right and look for solutions.
“If you do that then everything will be okay because the quality is there and there is a potential like there was, during my time [at Chelsea].”
Grant knows current boss Lampard well. And it is thought he could help bring more football knowledge to the club’s current hierarchy.
Grant has always been very close with Abramovich since he bought Chelsea. And it is believed the Russian would like to bring him back into the fold.
Abramovich is believed to have been upset by the club’s showing against Manchester City earlier this month. Chelsea were thumped 3-1 at Stamford Bridge with the game effectively on 34 minutes after conceding three times.
It’s thought Abramovich is not planning to sack Lampard at this point in time. Instead he is considering making some moves, which could include adding Grant to the backroom team.
Lampard defends formation
Meanwhile, Lampard believes his midfield system of deploying two number eights can become “more dangerous” for Chelsea.
Lampard has developed a bespoke 4-3-3 formation in a bid to squeeze Kai Havertz and Mason Mount into the same midfield, while at the same time generating space for two wingers.
The under-pressure Chelsea boss admitted he is aware of question marks around his set-up. There have been calls to find space for a natural central playmaker.
But Lampard insisted that, at its best, his Blues blueprint can harness the greatest potency from his myriad attacking talents.
“I’ve heard some people talk about the system with two eights as though they have to run in straight lines up and down the pitch,” said Lampard.
“It doesn’t have to be that way when you have players with different qualities like Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante.
“These players play in different ways and arrive between the lines and sometimes into the area inhabited by an orthodox number 10.”
