Shock Frank Lampard, Coventry City exit threat emerges - it involves West Ham and Graham Potter | OneFootball

The Sky Blues manager has been linked with a return to the East London club

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard has reportedly become a target for the West Ham United hierarchy should they relieve Graham Potter of his duties at the London Stadium.

The 47-year-old has enjoyed a fine 10-month period in charge at the CBS Arena after taking over from previous modern-day Sky Blues 'cult hero' Mark Robins, transforming a side languishing in the Championship's bottom-half to last season's play-off semi-finals, where they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to eventual promotion winners Sunderland over two legs.

Those in this part of the West Midlands have reason to be optimistic based on the start of the current campaign too, with City just one of four sides to remain unbeaten across the month of August alongside Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City, as well as being the division's top scorers thus far with a staggering return of 14 league goals in said time.

Such work hasn't gone unnoticed by those in East London either, and with Potter enduring a tough start to the season with the Hammers after a less-than convincing period after taking over from Julen Lopetegui in January, the iconic goalscoring midfielder could return to the club where his legendary playing career began many years ago.

West Ham United eye potential Frank Lampard, Coventry City managerial raid amid Graham Potter sack calls

According to a fresh report from Football Insider on Friday morning, the Coventry boss has been identified as a potential target for David Sullivan following a poor start to the Premier League season for West Ham, although the team from the capital were able to record their first win of the campaign with a shock 3-0 away success against UEFA Europa League new-boys, Nottingham Forest, at the City Ground.

The report states that the Irons hierarchy had made subtle hints towards Lampard and his entourage prior to the victory in the East Midlands, at a time when the club had lost their opening three league and EFL Cup encounters against Sunderland, Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers by an aggregate scoreline of 11-3.

The Romford-born man has now emerged as a "key contender" to take the reins at the London Stadium should West Ham part company with Potter in the coming weeks, and that he is keen to return to management in the top-flight after two spells in the dugout at Chelsea and a period in charge of Everton.

Despite those aims, it has also been reported that Lampard is also satisfied with his current role with the Sky Blues, with the ultimate end goal at this moment in time being to end the club's lengthy exile away from the Premier League, having failed to return since their relegation in May 2001.

Coventry City fans will hope Frank Lampard doesn't make sentimental West Ham United managerial call if Graham Potter is dismissed

Whilst certain sections of the West Ham fanbase have notoriously made their feelings towards Lampard known after his switch from Upton Park to Stamford Bridge for £11m back in June 2001, Coventry supporters will hope their current boss continues to value his current project over anything else, and that he eventually becomes a top-flight manager again at the CBS.

Despite a slightly underwhelming end to the summer transfer window, the former England international has got his side playing some of the most eye-catching football in the Championship, largely down to the creative and attacking options at his disposal such as Victor Torp, Jack Rudoni, Ephron Mason-Clark, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Haji Wright.

Lampard will also have the motivation to make it third-time lucky in the second-tier after two previously failed play-off campaigns with the Sky Blues and during a solitary campaign in charge of Derby County six years ago.

Whilst a return to East London at a club which his family are synonymous with would come with personal sentiment, the atmosphere surrounding West Ham has been extremely downbeat in the two seasons which followed the club's UEFA Conference League success under David Moyes, meaning Lampard might not jump at the opportunity straight away, such is the feel-good factor he is currently a part of in CV6.