Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admits that it will be impossible for the team to find a replacement to its ex-star Frank Lampard.

Speaking to BT Sport as quoted by AFP, Mourinho said: "Frank is Frank, he is irreplaceable. No chance.

Lampard, 36, is one of the all-time greats of the Blues during his 13-year stay with the team. "Super Frankie" holds the club record for most goals scored and led the team to numerous championships. But he was released by the team at the end of last season. He signed with the MLS franchise team New York FC, and has also agreed to play briefly for Manchester City for six months until NYFC starts training in January.

Mourinho says that even the signing of Cesc Fabregas won't be enough to replace the impact of Lampard on the team.

"Fabregas is the player we need to modify a little bit the profile of our game. We want to give the next dimension to our game in midfield. But I think we can never say that Cesc, who is a fantastic player as you know, that, 'This guy is coming to replace Frank', because Frank is Frank."

Chelsea ended up a frustrating third in the Premiere League last season. Mourinho has since rebuilt the squad by acquiring the likes of Fabregas and Diego Costa, but he admits that it will be tough for the Blues to win a title.

"In England it is even stronger now than in my first period,' he said. "Even more now because when I first came Man City didn't have this financial situation they have now."