Derby have excused Frank Lampard from reporting for pre-season training duties, with the club expecting him to be offered the head coach role at Chelsea.
Lampard, 41, will not be at training on Monday or Tuesday as he continues talks with his former club.
A statement said the decision has been made to allow the move to be “concluded as soon as possible”.
Derby said they will now step up “efforts to find a replacement”.
Rams assistant manager Jody Morris will also be absent from training.
It is widely assumed Morris will move to Chelsea with Lampard, should the former England midfielder be given the manager’s job.
Derby’s players will largely be doing fitness tests over the next couple of days, so the club feel they can operate without anyone in overall charge.
The squad are due to fly to Florida for a training camp on Thursday.
A statement released on Monday said: “The first few days of pre-season training will be focussed on fitness training and will continue as planned under the guidance of the fitness, medical, conditioning and sports science teams at the club’s Training Centre.”
Ex-Chelsea captain John Terry said there is “no one better equipped” to manage the club than his former team-mate.
Rams boss Lampard has been given permission to talk to the club where he spent 13 years a player after speculation he will take over from Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard made 648 appearances at Chelsea, winning 11 major trophies with them, since joining from boyhood club West Ham for a fee of £11m in 2001.
