Chelsea news: Antonio Conte won't consider Frank Lampard as a coach until he retires

The former Blues player recently announced he would be leaving MLS club New York City after two seasons with the side

Conte praised Lampard for his past contributions to the club but suggested he wouldn't be heading to Stamford Bridge until he retires (Getty)

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said that he will only consider Frank Lampard as a coach when the player retires.

The former Blues player recently announced he would be leaving MLS side New York City after two seasons with the team.

He is yet to confirm whether or not he will retire from football and has been linked to a number of clubs, including LA Galaxy and Newcastle United.

Speculation has also mounted that Lampard will hang up his boots to take on a managerial role, with MK Dons mooted as a potential destination for the 38-year-old.

But Conte has implied that Lampard won’t be heading to Stamford Bridge anytime soon – not until he makes clear what the next step in his career will be.

“Frank Lampard has been a great player. [He was] a fantastic player for Chelsea. He won a lot with this team. But now, for me, he’s still playing and for this reason I don’t know his future," said the Italian.

“I repeat: he has been a fantastic player, a legend for this club. I have great respect for him. For me it’s very difficult to reply to the question when the question starts ‘if’. It’s important to know that.”

Lampard scored 211 goals for Chelsea over 13 seasons with the club, but the relationship deteriorated after he departed to Manchester City for a season-long loan before completing his switch to NYC FC.