Frank Lampard had reportedly contacted RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner prior to his reported Chelsea transfer agreement.
Technically, it has not even been his second full season in management but Lampard has already displayed the quality of a top manager in terms of player recruitment.
According to a report from the Telegraph, the former England international outlined his vision to Werner and clarified Chelsea’s ambition to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City and challenge for titles again.
Such a personal approach likely helped convince Werner who has reportedly agreed to sign a five-year contract with Chelsea.
Hakim Ziyech also spoke about how a conversation with Lampard sold him the transfer.
He told Voetbal International back in April: “Chelsea has a coach who loves attacking and attractive football in Frank Lampard. I feel the same way.
“We had some good talks. Lampard is really calm and presented himself well.
“We immediately felt a connection, which also convinced me to make this decision.”
And Lampard probably learned it from none other than Jose Mourinho.
The Telegraph’s report mentioned how the former Chelsea manager famously invited Cesc Fabregas to his house in order to convince the playmaker to join his squad in 2014.
In comparison, Antonio Conte chose to switch off his mobile phone which made him pretty much uncontactable in summer following the Premier League title in 2017, the report added.
Similarly, Conte’s successor Maurizio Sarri reportedly did not communicate through WhatsApp and made little effort to keep in close contact with club director Marina Granovskaia over Chelsea’s transfer business.
Chelsea fans often blame the board for their lack of support in signing the manager’s transfer targets but also overlook how important the manager’s effort is in helping to land those players.
But now that Chelsea have a manager who actually puts a lot of effort into convincing his targets and has a strong communication and relationship with the board, the difference is as clear as day.
Ziyech and, reportedly, Werner’s relatively quick deals are a few examples.