Frank Lampard hails Jose Mourinho for transforming his career and says he knows the club and manager would welcome him back to Chelsea in the future Frank Lampard hails Jose Mourinho for transforming his career and says he knows the club and manager would welcome him back to Chelsea in the future

Frank Lampard has revealed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho would "love" him to return to the club once his playing career is over.

Lampard spent 13 years at Chelsea and is the club’s record goalscorer with 211 goals, but he left Stamford Bridge in the summer and subsequently joined Manchester City.

Mourinho has said he does not regret allowing Lampard to leave even though the midfielder scored a crucial equaliser in the Premier League fixture between the two sides earlier this season.

However, speaking exclusively to Soccer AM, Lampard admitted that the door for a return to Chelsea in the future does remain open.

“Jose Mourinho and the club from the top have said they’ll love for me to be involved, whenever I want to go back,” he said.

“Chelsea is like going back home and it feels such a big part of me. When you are part of Chelsea, I’ve seen it with people like ‘Chopper’ Harris and Peter Bonetti, they’re still there to this day. It’s a club that really looks after its players. If the opportunity was there to go back, I would love to, as I had such a long career there. It’s a part of me – and that never changes.”

The former Chelsea midfielder will be back at Stamford Bridge for the first time on Saturday following his summer move to the Premier League champions via New York City.

His return adds extra spice to a heavyweight fixture that could go a long way to deciding the Premier League title and Lampard admits it will be great to see some familiar faces.

Frank Lampard doesn't think he would be where he is now without the help and advice of his dad, Harry and Jamie Redknapp Frank Lampard doesn't think he would be where he is now without the help and advice of his dad, Harry and Jamie Redknapp

“It’s going be really emotional,” he said.

“It feels like coming home for me. London will always be my home, particularly the west London and Chelsea area. This game was always on the horizon for me and this week I’ve started getting texts and calls from people behind the scenes from friends and fans.

“I can’t wait to see those people at Chelsea. Everyone knows the rapport I had with the fans there, and I still do, but people like Alan Barrett, who works at the training ground, Frank Stier, Teresa, who works in the press room at Chelsea; these are people I didn’t get a real chance to say goodbye to.

"Thirteen years together you make a lot of friends and create bonds with people. I’ll look forward to that, but most of all stepping on that pitch and being in that stadium, which was my home for so long.”

Watch Chelsea v Manchester City live - coverage from Stamford Bridge starts at 4:45pm, Sky Sports 1 HD.