Jose Mourinho has admitted that he tried to deprive Chelsea of Frank Lampard when the manager made an attempt to lure the England international away to Italian giants Inter Milan, where Mourinho spent 2 seasons.

The ‘Special One’ is not having the most special of starts to his second stint at the Chelsea job, and the opening 7 weeks of the Barclays Premier League have given the manager an indication that circumstances have changed from his first crack at the job in 2004. With the extra revenue coming from broadcasting rights and more, all 19 other teams have managed to field competitive sides in their campaign, allowing them to challenge against even the most expensive squads. A perfect example would be Southampton, who currently stand strong at the 4th place in the league, level on points with Mourinho’s side, after spending a considerable amount in the summer. The same cannot be said about Chelsea, who have had a stuttering start by their standards, despite their audacious spending spree which not only saw them beat arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the signature of Brazilian star Willian, but also sign several other players to strengthen the core of the squad. However, with Fernando Torres still lacking the magic finish in his stride, the Blues have had to depend on players like Eden Hazard and Ramires to get the goals.

Lampard has been a legend at Chelsea, spending more than a decade, and still ready to pounce at every first team opportunity. The former West Ham United player was part of the successful squad managed by Mourinho that won two consecutive Premier League crowns for Chelsea. Last season saw him become the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer, a laudable achievement for a midfielder. The 35-year old will need to use his vast experience and pull the Chelsea squad together, as they cope with the season without Romelu Lukaku and Victor Moses, both having been sent on loan by Mourinho.

According to Sky Sports, Mourinho has admitted to have tried stealing Lampard from the very club he adores.

Mourinho said, “I tried to take him to Inter, but I was saying, ‘You belong to Chelsea and you should stay’.”

“I wanted to bring him but I also wanted him to stay. I told him, ‘If you want to come I want you’, but in the end he did what he wanted to do and signed a new contract at Chelsea.”

“He was not very far away, but in the end I was happy and I told him so. It was a good decision.”