Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has entered the battle for Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.

The Daily Mail says despite speaking to Ford's FeelFootball.com debate programme in May, the ex-Chelsea boss made the tactical move of authorising his interview about Lampard to be published on Thursday.

"Frank Lampard is a different kind of person, not so extroverted," Mourinho said. "He's the best professional I've ever worked with. He's the player who trains better, has more concentration, more commitment and is always focused on himself.

"He is never happy about his performance, always wants to improve, and always wants to learn. If he makes a mistake in a game, the next day in training he wants to stay one more hour to practise exactly that situation.

"I remember he missed a goal once with a difficult left-foot volley and the next day he was there an hour after training practising that volley.

"Lampard is incredibly professional. God gave players the talent, and some of them waste this. But some others make themselves better and these are the kind of the players who can last forever."