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Lampard was informed of his fate on Monday morning and Chelsea is now expected to announce Tuchel as his full-time successor.
Chelsea’s statement read: “Chelsea Football Club parted ways with head coach Frank Lampard today.
“This has been a very difficult decision, and not one that the owner and the board have made lightly.
“We are grateful to Frank for what he has accomplished in his time as the club’s head coach. However, recent results and performances have fallen short of the club’s expectations, leaving the club in the middle of the table with no clear path to sustained improvement.
“It can never be a good time to part ways with a club legend like Frank, but after long deliberation and consideration, it was decided that a change was needed now to give the club time to improve performances and results this season.”
He would have been fired immediately after Leicester City’s defeat, which was Chelsea’s fifth in eight Premier League games, if the club had had an internal candidate to take over the interim position.
But without a ready-to-wear interim replacement, Chelsea had to decide on a successor for Lampard with Tuchel being regarded as the best available man for the job.
Lampard remained confident that he could reverse recent performances and results, and was encouraged by Sunday’s FA Cup victory over Luton Town.
But Abramovich was concerned that a place in the top four would disappear from sight and believed that Chelsea were no closer to challenging Manchester City and Liverpool, who had been the target at the start of the season.
While Tuchel’s arrival is partly aimed at trying to get the best out of two of Chelsea’s big signings this summer, fellow Germans Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, Chelsea believe the whole team needs a boost.
Werner missed a penalty in the win over Luton, despite performing better, while Havertz made a late appearance as a substitute.
Tuchel’s appointment will also be seen as a risk, given that Chelsea was warned of him during Antonio Conte’s reign due to his disputes with his former employers.
Chelsea has yet to confirm which members of Lampard’s backroom staff will be leaving with him, but assistant Jody Morris is expected to follow him out the door.
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