New Chelsea boss Frank Lampard says he's happy to work with the club's young players as they manage their transfer ban.
Chelsea are currently under a transfer embargo and Lampard is widely expected to utilise the club's highly successful youth set-up.
Lampard, 41, said: "I want to work with those players, I want to dangle the carrot, can you work hard, can you compete, can you get in the team?"
When asked about the first team's relationship with the academy, he added: "It's important. It's something that I will work hard to make sure the communication is there day in, day out.
"I'm lucky because the staff I will have with me will help me with that. But I will always have my eye on the academy. I think it's important.
"I was that young player, a very long time ago. And the one thing you want is the feeling that you can get into the first team. That feeling that the road that divides the academy from the main building, is one that you can cross. It has to be there for you.
"I think that does come from the top and I have to show that. If young players are performing, and they deserve it on merit, then they will be coming and training with us.
"But there's a lot of hard work for them to do. I don't want it to look like it's an easy road, it's very tough, but we can try and help them."
