David O'Leary reveals meeting Frank Lampard over Leeds move, he chose Chelsea | OneFootball

"We tried to get Lampard, [I] met Frank, just top guy, top fella, chose well – he went to Chelsea instead," said David O'Leary.

He was speaking on Stick To Football. The approach came during his time leading a young Leeds side who reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.

"Remember Mark Van Bommel? He was interested because he was young. He'd seen a young, vibrant team."

The prospect once felt far-fetched given the 2019 Spygate row, when Leeds were fined £200,000 after a member of Marcelo Bielsa's staff was caught watching Lampard's Derby train.

Lampard became a Chelsea legend, winning the Premier League and Champions League. As a manager, he failed to win promotion with Derby, then had two spells at Chelsea either side of Everton, where he was sacked.

He is on the up again after leading Coventry City to the Championship title, meaning a return to Elland Road next season, where he can expect a lively reception from the Leeds faithful.

"Michael Kennedy [his solicitor] did, yeah, [hear] about it. Alex had recommended about three people or something like that. It never went any further than that. One of the chosen ones, yeah."

Ferguson had intended to step down at the end of the 2001/02 season, but performed a U-turn and stayed for another 11 years. He later said: "The biggest mistake I made was announcing it at the start of the season. I think a lot of them had put their tools away."

Source: Leeds Live