Chelsea and Frank Lampard are reportedly very close on sealing a £5 million deal with the Derby County for an impressive young midfielder in the upcoming summer transfer season.
Chelsea are in the driving seat to sign Derby midfielder Max Bird this summer according to TodoFichajes and many other English football media sources.
The Blues have to pay around £5 million for the 19 year old Derby midfielder Max Bird, who had impressed the manager, Frank Lampard with his exceptional talent and skills when he was the manager of a Championship club before coming to Chelsea F.C.
Frank Lampard worked with Bird when he was the manager of the Rams i.e, Derby County last season. He and the Chelsea management are ready to clinch a £4.8million deal for the midfielder – £200,000 short of Derby’s asking price after some serious negotiations between both the clubs.
The then manager of the Rams, Lampard, when asked about Bird as Derby boss at the end of the season, said: ‘He stands out as a young man. He is very polite with everyone, has a real desire to improve and he’s a good team-mate’.
Bird made his debut for the first team against Barnsley in the EFL Cup on 12 September 2017 after rising through the ranks of the Rams’ youth academy. He made his debut at the age of 16 at the time and he became Derby’s eighth-youngest player.
The incredible Derby midfielder, Max Bird made his Championship league debut for the Lampard’s club in the closing seconds of a 2-1 win over Swansea City on 1 December 2018, replacing Mason Mount. He made his first start on 2 March 2019 in a 4-0 away defeat to Aston Villa, playing the full 90 minutes of the game.
The Rams academy graduate has gone on to make 27 appearances for the first team under the energetic and dynamic manager Frank Lampard.
Max Bird has made around 23 appearances for the Derby County club across various tournaments in which he provided four assists.
The teenager was a regular goalscorer in Derby’s youth teams, but has operated in a more defensive role this season for the club under current Rams boss and manager, Phillip Cocu. This decision might be for the accommodation of the January signing, the legendary Wayne Rooney in the Derby’s squad.
Frank Lampard also went on to admit openly regarding the midfielder that:
‘Whether it has been for the youth teams or when he has been with the first team, he is an all-rounder’.
‘I have found him to be a great lad and our relationship is really good.’
Bird impressed both Lampard and assistant Jody Morris in 2018-19 season while he was interacting with Chelsea loanees from the Derby County club, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori.
The 19 year old is currently under contract with the Pride Park club until June 2022. The inclusion of the young and talented midfielder, Max Bird into the Chelsea squad might boost up the strength and pace of the midfield of Frank Lampard’s squad as the youngster posses both attacking and defensive skills which compliments the playing style of the Chelsea F.C.
