Frank Lampards Derby Transfer Record Gives More Misses Than Hits

During his 2018-19 season at Derby County, Frank Lampard signed 12 players. Only three, Mason Mount, Harry Wilson, and Fikayo Tomori were clear hits. Big-money buys like Martyn Waghorn, Jack Marriott, and Florian Jozefzoon underperformed. Many left on free transfers, highlighting a mixed recruitment record in Lampard's sole Championship stint.

For the team he now leads at Coventry City, Frank Lampard brings valuable transfer experience from his one season in charge of Derby County. During the 2018–19 campaign, Lampard signed 12 players, with mixed results. Of these, only three can be called hits, Mason Mount, Harry Wilson, and Fikayo Tomori, all of whom were loan signings and played major roles in helping Derby reach the Championship play-off final.

On the other hand, permanent signings like Martyn Waghorn (£5 million from Ipswich), Jack Marriott, Florian Jozefzoon, and Duane Holmes failed to deliver consistently. Ashley Cole and Efe Ambrose were brought in as experienced short-term fixes but made minimal impact. While Waghorn did score 13 goals under Lampard, he struggled in the following seasons. Marriott became a fan favourite for his play-off semi-final heroics but didn’t fit into successor systems.

Lampard has now made three signings at Coventry, Matt Grimes in January and Miguel Angel Brau and Kaine Kesler-Hayden this summer. While these additions show promise, his previous record suggests that results will depend heavily on system fit and consistency. With seven weeks left in the window, more movement is expected as Lampard reshapes the Sky Blues for the new season.