Coventry City make John Eustace move as Frank Lampard fears grow

Sat 25 April 2026 14:43, UK

Coventry City have sounded out Derby County manager John Eustace in case Chelsea lure Frank Lampard, sources have told Football Insider.

The Championship outfit has held Informal discussions with third parties about acquiring the Rams’ boss.

Despite Sky Blues’ public bullishness, they are working on a backup plan in case the 47-year-old quits the club for Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are on the hunt for a new manager after they sacked Liam Rosenior on Wednesday.

Eustace has been the Derby manager since 2025 after leaving Blackburn Rovers to take the role.

Going into matchday 45, Derby could still achieve playoffs and potentially join Coventry in the Premier League, sitting four points off sixth.

Could John Eustace be a success at Coventry?

Eustace’s managerial career has been short to date, but he has had success at every club so far.

His first job came in 2016, when he took over Kidderminster Harriers and found huge success before he left in 2018 to become the assistant manager at Queens Park Rangers.

John Eustace fact file
Place of birth	Solihull, England
Age	46
Clubs managed	Kidderminster, Birmingham City, Blackburn, Derby
Honours	n/a
Overall win percentage	42.9%

Eustace has had a decent start to his managerial career

After this, his next permanent job in the dugout was at Birmingham City, where he had the club in the playoffs before he was controversially sacked in late 2023.

A few months later, he took over at Blackburn Rovers, guiding them to Championship safety before leaving the club midway through the 2024-25 campaign to join Derby.

Frank Lampard “proud and pleased” to be at Coventry City.

His message to any fans worried about the Chelsea rumours. #pusb #cfc pic.twitter.com/JvPwPo8Tyq
— Dan Salisbury-Jones (@dsj_itv) April 24, 2026

At Derby, further success has followed, and they are now unlikely playoff candidates going into the final matches.

Based on this, there is every chance Eustace could succeed at Coventry. However, his lack of Premier League managerial experience is no doubt a concern, especially as the Sky Blues are likely going to be battling relegation next season.

Frank Lampard target for multiple Premier League clubs

Even if Chelsea do not get their hands on Lampard this summer, he could still make a move away from Coventry.

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that multiple Premier League sides are pursuing Lampard.

Crystal Palace have also been strongly linked with the former England international, while Fulham also have rumoured interest.

The work Lampard has done at Coventry has not gone under the radar, with the club set to return to the English top-flight for the first time in 25 years.

However, it remains to be seen if the manager will be in the dugout next season for the Sky Blues.