Frank Lampard will be able to handle any of Chelsea’s big-name players and have “real authority” in the dressing room, according to his uncle Harry Redknapp.

Lampard is wanted by his former club to succeed Juventus-bound Maurizio Sarri this summer – but current club Derby are making efforts to retain him by discussing a potential new contract.

It would mark a steep rise in Lampard’s managerial career after just one full season in the dugout – but ex-Tottenham, West Ham and Southampton boss Redknapp believes he can handle the reins at Stamford Bridge.

Harry Redknapp is Frank Lampard’s uncle and brought him into senior football at West Ham

“He will have real authority. He won’t stand any nonsense,” Redknapp told the Sun.

“Eden Hazard has left and he is a fantastic player. No disrespect to any of the rest of them who are left, but none of them can look at Frank and think ‘I’m a bigger, better player’.

“He’s been a better player for Chelsea than any of them have been. That’s not a bad starting point for him. There won’t be anyone there he can’t handle.”

Harry Redknapp believes Frank Lampard is a bigger and better Chelsea player than any of their current squad

Lampard, who could reportedly bring Jody Morris back to West London with him as well as Didier Drogba, Gianfranco Zola and Petr Cech, has been widely praised for developing a young team that almost took Derby into the Premier League.

He had Chelsea youth players Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori on loan as the Derbyshire club lost to Aston Villa in the play-off final at Wembley.

With the Blues currently under transfer embargo, Redknapp said: “It could be a fresh new Chelsea. We could see some real young stars emerging.

“They have an incredible academy producing all these great kids – maybe now they are going to get the chance.”

Source – Sky Sports