Frank Lampard is a Chelsea legend, but his former club have done him no favours in the transfer market by blocking a loan move to Derby for Ethan Ampadu.
A man who spent the most productive period of his career at Stamford Bridge is currently cutting his managerial teeth with Championship promotion hopefuls Derby.
In an effort to aid that cause, Lampard has asked recruitment questions of those in west London.
Highly-rated teenager Ampadu was the subject of his most recent enquiry, but he was made aware that the Wales international will be going nowhere in January.
Lampard told reporters of his approach for the versatile 18-year-old: “We have asked, but I don’t think he’s leaving Chelsea.
“He can play in a few positions, that’s why he would be so valuable to anybody and why he’s staying at Chelsea.”
Derby already have two youngsters on loan from Chelsea, with Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori impressing for the Rams.
Harry Wilson has also been acquired from Liverpool and Lampard believes all of his Premier League loanees will be staying put in a window which is likely to deliver little business at Pride Park.
The ex-England international added: “Mason is staying. Harry, I think, is staying here - but it’s obviously Liverpool’s call and we accept that.
“I was aware of the finances here. We’re not in the same league as some teams that have spent a lot.
“People thought we did a lot of business in the summer, but our actual net spend was very negligible.
“I had to bring in personnel to try to change the style and that’s not a one-window solution, that's probably two or three-window. This window will be quiet for us.”
Derby are currently sat sixth in the second-tier table, six points adrift of the automatic promotion places and four clear of arch-rivals Nottingham Forest and a congested group of clubs seeking to force their way into the play-off positions.