Frank Lampard dismisses speculation linking him to Chelsea job following Derby defeat in play-off final

Lampard has been linked with the Chelsea job after his first year in management

Frank Lampard's first year in management ended in defeat at Wembley (Getty)

Frank Lampard brushed off speculation suggesting he could be offered the job as Chelsea manager following Derby County’s 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in the play-off final.

The former Blues midfielder's name is high on Chelsea’s list of candidates to replace Maurizio Sarri should the club and the Italian part ways this summer.

Sarri has been linked with the vacant Juventus job, which could pave the way for Lampard to return to Stamford Bridge in the dugout.

Lampard’s first year in management ended in disappointment at Wembley, where Anwar El Ghazi and Scott McGinn’s goals either side of half-time were enough for Villa, despite Derby’s late fightback following Martyn Waghorn’s 84th minute goal.

The Derby manager has two years remaining on his Derby contract and will meet with the club’s owner, Mel Morris, next week to discuss his future.

When pressed on what he plans to do next following the Wembley defeat, Lampard continued to keep his cards close to his chest.

"I'm not interested in the speculation,” he said. “I'll sit down with Mel Morris over the next few days. I've got a two-year contract and I love working here.”

"After my first year and the opportunity this club gave me it's massively important that everyone understands that is my overriding feeling.

"So that's where I am. I'll go away tonight and have a couple of beers with the lads and the staff, and afterwards we'll talk about where we go forward."

While Derby were by no means deserving to be ahead, they will have felt they could have mounted a comeback in the second half, but Villa's second goal seemed to take a lot out of Lampard’s side.

Villa’s diminutive midfielder McGinn beat goalkeeper Kelle Roos to the ball in the air, after a deflected shot looped high, and headed into a vacant net.

Frank Lampard could become Chelsea manager this summer if the club part with Maurizio Sarri (Getty)

"(Kelle) has been brilliant since he's been in the team, it's an obvious error. In finals the margins are so small. I'll back the players no matter what because of what they've done this year, but at the same time, it's obviously crucial in the result."

Derby were on a high after overturning a first leg home defeat against Leeds and winning at Elland Road in dramatic style to book their place at Wembley.

Lampard and his side did not hold back with their celebrations following the extra-time win against Leeds and racked up a £2,800 bar tab that night. The mood in the dressing room on Monday evening, however, was a stark contrast.

Aston Villa were deserved winners (Rex Features)

"Huge disappointment obviously, but at the same time my overriding emotion is pride, pride in the lads in there. They are gutted in there," Lampard said.

Derby will have to work hard this summer to get a squad together capable of going one better and sealing promotion, whether they have Lampard in charge or someone else, as they are set to lose five first team players.

Loan players Harry Wilson, Andy King, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori will return to their parent clubs, while Ashley Cole’s contract has expired.

"The challenges for us to sit down and talk about are the loan players going back, we presume they are going back,” said Lampard.

"They have been influential for us this year and we lose a lot of players out of contract. That's work for us and the club to try and put right."

Dean Smith, by contrast, has the more exciting task of adding to his squad ahead of their upcoming Premier League campaign.

Smith, who replaced Steve Bruce as manager of his boyhood club in October, praised the owners’ long-term vision and said exciting times lie ahead for the club after winning a game that will generate around £170m in increased revenue for the club.

“We've got two owners have got a lot of money, and are in it for the long haul. The potential now is massive," he said.