Frank Lampard 'is aware' of Doug King situation at Coventry City - he may leave | OneFootball

Doug King will not stand in Frank Lampard's way if the Coventry City boss is tempted away from the CBS Arena this summer

Coventry City may be facing an uphill battle to retain the services of manager Frank Lampard this summer, following a fresh twist.

Lampard has done a stellar job at the CBS Arena this season, guiding the Sky Blues to the Championship title with an impressive tally of 95 points to their name.

Coventry ended their season in style with three successive wins over Portsmouth, Wrexham and Watford.

The CBS Arena outfit's victories over Pompey and the Hornets were particularly impressive, as they won 5-1 and 4-0 respectively, demonstrating their unrelenting attacking prowess.

Frank Lampard could leave Coventry City this summer as key Doug King fear emerges

Coventry secured their status as second-tier champions with their aforementioned 5-1 victory over Portsmouth, but they didn't stop the West Midlands outfit from securing further wins against both Wrexham and Watford to sign off on a historic campaign.

Meanwhile, when Lampard first took the managerial reins at the CBS Arena in November 2024, his stock was relatively low because of his underwhelming stints in the Premier League with both Chelsea and Everton.

Furthermore, taking the Sky Blues job was a risk for the former England midfielder, as his predecessor, Mark Robins, was a legendary figure among Coventry supporters for guiding their club from League Two to a Championship play-off final and an FA Cup semi-final.

However, Lampard has now created his own history at the CBS Arena by ending his side's 25-year wait to return to the Premier League.

The 47-year-old's efforts haven't gone unnoticed, and according to The Sun, he is aware that Coventry owner Doug King is unlikely to have the resources to ensure that they can retain their top-flight status following their promotion.

King has already admitted that he may be unable to keep hold of Lampard this summer, while The Sun's report adds that Crystal Palace have eyed the former Everton boss as a potential replacement for Oliver Glasner.

Glasner led Palace to FA Cup glory last season, and could guide them to the Conference League title this term, but he is set to leave Selhurst Park when his contract expires in the summer.

Meanwhile, the gap between the Premier League and the Championship has been particularly highlighted in recent seasons, as all three newly promoted top-flight clubs were relegated back to the second tier at the first time of asking in both 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Sunderland have already avoided the drop this season, a feat Leeds United should also achieve, but both the Black Cats and the Whites heavily bolstered their squads last summer.

Coventry City would be more likely to be relegated if they lose Frank Lampard

Coventry already have a huge task on their hands to build a squad that is capable of achieving Premier League survival despite having fewer financial resources than next season's top-flight rivals.

Achieving the feat of retaining their Premier League status would only become even more difficult for the Sky Blues if Lampard moves on to pastures new.

Lampard has already built a strong affinity with the CBS Arena side, having created second-tier history with them, and would be desperate to avoid a second-tier return if he stays.

In contrast, joining a side who will be battling relegation is a less attractive proposition for a different manager that King may have to hire if the ex-Chelsea boss leaves.