With four days now passing since Derby County's heartbreaking play-off final defeat to Aston Villa the Rams' focus can now start to turn to preparing for next season.

Having arrived at Wembley off the back of a brilliant display at Elland Road to knock out Leeds United, Frank Lampard's side had plenty of momentum behind them, but it was not to be as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat.

It is a match that may have signalled the start of a period of real uncertainty for the club as well.

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Throughout the campaign, Derby's star players have been centre-back Fikayo Tomori, midfielder Mason Mount and winger Harry Wilson.

All of whom were on loan at Pride Park and all of whom are very unlikely to make a return to Derbyshire next season.

Bringing in players to match the quality that the trio bought to the club and will no doubt prove incredibly expensive to do - whether they are loan deals or permanent ones.

It leaves Frank Lampard and the Derby board with a lot of work to do if they are going to go into next season at the same level as this one - and that is before they even consider trying to better the finish of 2018/19.

But they managed to find the right players last summers, so there is no reason why they cannot do it again.

This would be the optimist's approach but at the sam time it is not totally farfetched.

However, having to replace Lampard would create a monstrous probelm for the Rams.

Whilst he assured fans that he wants to stay at the club for another season and that rumours of his exit were unfounded, you get the feeling it could still happen.

Maurizio Sarri's position at Chelsea remains uncertain, despite lifting the Europa League on Wednesday, and if Lampard's former club offered him the job in the Stamford Bridge dugout it is very hard to see him turning it down.

Everything, therefore, is largely out of the hands of Derby. Whether Tomori, Mount or Wilson return is down to their respective parent clubs and whether Lampard remains seems to be up to Chelsea.

After such a positive climax to the season, the uncertainty of the immediate future will be starting to set in for the Rams.