It seems certain that Lampard's future will be decided within the next two weeks after Internazionale finally tabled a bid for the England international. An email is understood to have been sent by the club's technical director, Marco Branca, detailing an offer of €8m (£6.4m) for the 30-year-old who has less than a year left on his contract.

The timing of the offer is crucial, given that it was sent just as Lampard arrived back for training, and gives him the power to negotiate his future. It will be regarded as the sign he has been waiting for to push ahead with a move to Inter, who have been courting him for some time.

Even so, in what has turned into a confusing and complicated transfer saga, Chelsea last night disputed the claim that a formal offer had been submitted and added that there had been no negotiations with Internazionale over Lampard.

At the same time sources close to the player reiterated that he had yet to receive an offer of a new contract from Chelsea despite, they said, Lampard making it clear that he wanted to remain at Stamford Bridge. One of the sticking points is certainly the length of deal Chelsea are prepared to submit.

It means that Inter's offer – they are understood to be prepared to go as high as €12m (£9.5m) for the England international – may prove decisive in his thinking. Inter have also set a deadline of a week tomorrow – when their players return for pre-season training before a 10-day training camp in South Tyrol – for the transfer to be finalised. Chelsea will also want the situation resolved before their pre-season tour starts the following weekend.

Into this little drama steps Scolari. Yesterday he addressed the Chelsea squad as a group, simply introducing himself as their new manager. However, sources claim there was nothing "sinister" in the Brazilian's behaviour towards Lampard.

Scolari, who will be presented to the media today, in between conducting double training sessions with his new players, may speak to Lampard about his future tomorrow. Only then, according to a source, will Scolari be certain whether he should fight for Lampard.

That could mean either arguing he should have the contract he wants – or that he should be retained for one more year, even if that allows him to leave on a free transfer next year when his current deal expires. Lampard too is keen to talk directly to the new manager, although he is, at present, more inclined to leave than stay.

Inter's new coach Jose Mourinho, according to one source close to the former Chelsea manager, still "really, really wants to sign Lampard", but is growing frustrated by what he regards as his former employer's evasiveness over negotiations. He still believes Chelsea want too much money for the player. Inter have demanded that Chelsea be more reasonable, given the player's age and the length of contract that he has left.

Scolari spent yesterday observing those who did not take part in the European Championship undergoing a series of routine medical tests. The 59-year-old, who arrives on a two-year deal with an option for a third year and is being paid around £6m a season, flew into London on Saturday and visited the club's training ground in Cobham, Surrey, the following day.

Scolari brings with him three Brazilian assistants, who include his long-term right-hand man Flavio Teixeira (known as "Murtosa"), the fitness trainer Darlan Schneider, who is also Scolari's nephew, and the goalkeeping coach Carlos Pracidelli who will take on scouting duties. The assistant manager, Steve Clarke, is expected to stay.

Scolari is also, of course, bringing the midfielder Deco with him and it had been thought by many at Chelsea that the Portuguese international would replace Lampard. However, the manager is considering playing Deco as a "No 10", possibly at the tip of a midfield diamond, with Lampard behind him, maybe alongside Michael Ballack with Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel contesting the holding role. It would appear that Chelsea are toying with switching to a 4-4-2 formation or continuing with Scolari's favoured 4-2-3-1.

Claude Makelele's future will be determined if Paris St-Germain offer the two-year deal he is after. Scolari is prepared for the Frenchman to go and is also sanguine about losing Didier Drogba who still wants to quit Chelsea. However, despite links to both Milan clubs and Spain, there has not been a firm offer – probably because Chelsea are demanding €30m (£24m) for the 30-year-old.

Milan's technical director, Leonardo, reiterated again yesterday that the club are interested in signing Drogba – as they are Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor but, at present, it seems more likely the latter will be purchased, partly because he is six years younger. "It's no secret we're interested in signing a forward," Leonardo said. "Drogba is a fine player and Adebayor is a player I really like. We are waiting for the right time to move."

Of less urgency to Chelsea is the future of Ballack, even though he, like Lampard, only has a year left on his contract. However, there is an option to extend and Ballack said yesterday that there was "no rush" to sort out his future. Presumably he wants to see whether he fits into Scolari's plans.