Newton has finally left Chelsea to take up a role as assistant to new MK Dons manager Roberto Di Matteo, and admits it was a wrench to quit the Blues after 22 years service as a player and coach.

Newton had been working as a coach with the Chelsea Academy since a knee injury forced him out of the game eight years ago.

But the chance to link up with Di Matteo at MK Dons was too good to refuse and Newton finally decided to move on.

Newton left the club before Lampard's return from holiday but thinks the England international has a hard choice ahead of him.

Lampard, wanted by Inter Milan, has one year left on his contract. The midfielder would like to remain at Stamford Bridge but wants a four-year deal and improved wages.

Inter, now coached by former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, are happy to pay Chelsea £7million for the player.

Although the London club insist they have yet to receive an official offer from Inter, Newton believes Lampard still faces an agonising decision.

"Frank has got decisions to make," said Newton. "I am a Chelsea boy through and through and I would love him to be at Chelsea but those decisions have to be made.

"You want to play football at the highest level and pit your wits against the best in the world and whether that is in England, Spain or Italy, it is up to you and maybe Frank is looking at all his options because you don't want to be looking back at your career and regretting things."

Newton also believes Chelsea have pulled off a real managerial coup in landing Luiz Felipe Scolari and he hopes to tap into some of his training tactics and implement them at Stadium:mk next season.

"I think Scolari is a really good coup," Newton added. "He can touch a lot of talented players from around the world. He is very respected and there will be entertainment at Stamford Bridge next season.

"I made my way through the ranks at Chelsea and they fast-tracked me through the coaching system.

"I was coaching the under-16s last season but Robbie (Di Matteo) phoned me out of the blue and suddenly an opportunity was there I could not refuse. I told everyone at Chelsea and they backed me 100% and told me to go for it.

"It was a wrench to leave Chelsea and when I go back to London I will say goodbye to everyone. I've been at the club since I was 14 as a player and a coach. I am now 36, so that is a long time. It is a wrench for me. But I will always be talking to certain people in the club.

"I will be talking to them to see if I can take one or two young players with me if they are available."