Frank Lampard pushing Coventry to sign ‘ridiculous’ Chelsea forward on loan | Football

Coventry head coach Frank Lampard is reportedly exploring a move to sign Chelsea youngster Jesse Derry on loan for next season.

Derry left Crystal Palace to join Chelsea’s academy last summer, putting pen to paper on a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old forward went on to make his senior Chelsea debut in the side’s FA Cup fourth-round victory over Hull City in February, coming on as a late replacement for Estevao at the MKM Stadium.

But Derry, the son of ex-QPR and Palace midfielder Shaun, has since gone on to make just one more first-team appearance against Wrexham, with fierce competition for places blocking his path to regular first-team minutes under Liam Rosenior.

According to talkSPORT, Coventry boss Lampard has recognised a potential opportunity and is planning to utilise his deep connections with Chelsea to get a temporary deal over the line for Derry in the summer.

Coventry currently sit ten points clear at the top of the Championship table and will secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League should they avoid defeat away to Blackburn Rovers on Friday night.

The Sky Blues have, therefore, begun to draw up plans for the upcoming transfer window, with club bosses keen to strengthen their squad in several areas in preparation for the English top flight.

The report claims a loan move for Derry is ‘already being lined up’ and Coventry believe the proposed switch could ‘prove beneficial for both parties’.

Derry’s current contract with Chelsea, which he signed upon his arrival from Palace, runs through to June 2029.

Facing the media prior to Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round victory win over Wrexham last month, Rosenior revealed how the England Under-19 international had ‘really impressed’ him with his performances in training and in Premier League 2.

‘Ryan [Kavuma-McQueen] and Jesse will travel with the group, so they will be part of the squad for Wrexham.

‘Jesse has really impressed me, Ryan’s impressed, but it’s not just those two. There have been a few that I’ve got to see in training when they’ve been brought up that I’m really happy with.

‘Reggie Watson has trained with us a few times, he’s really impressed me. It’s scary the age that he is. Young Mahdi [Nicoll-Jazuli] has been up a few times, he’s an outstanding talent as well.

‘There are some outstanding young players in the group. We just need to make sure we put them in at the right time and they get the experiences that they need to continue their development.’

A month earlier, Rio Ferdinand named Derry as one of four ‘ridiculous’ young talents to keep an eye on in the Premier League, along with Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Manchester United’s JJ Gabriel.

‘You know the four, right now, if I was going to put money on and going these four, and you know what, it probably won’t even be these four that go and dominate the Premier League and do crazy things,’ the former Manchester United defender said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.

‘If you were going to put your money on four kids right now, in the Premier League to do their thing, based on what you’re seeing now, you’ve got Rio at Liverpool, you’ve got Max Dowman, you’ve got JJ Gabriel at Manchester United and Jesse Derry at Chelsea.

‘Jesse Derry, I know his dad, Shaun, he’s an ex-player, but I know the kid, wow, ridiculous, not only a talent, but an actual, like, as a kid who loves, loves the game.

‘You know, certain kids, they just love football and live and breathe. All the time, he makes that and the balls that you see, like, still, one of those kids.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: How Man Utd can line up against Chelsea after fresh blow sparks defensive crisis

MORE: Germany international reveals he is ‘aware’ of transfer interest from Arsenal

MORE: John Obi Mikel questions Chelsea transfer decision and £60m signing