Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has claimed he has always been a huge fan of Manchester City winger Jack Grealish.

“I love Jack Grealish, I’m a huge fan and always have been,” said Lampard.

“You watch players come through, especially when they are young English players with quality and personality, and he has both of those in abundance.

“In the last year or two, there were a lot of eyes on the price Manchester City paid for him and big question marks to a degree, whether that was right or wrong.

“But he has taken his game forward in terms of his work ethic off the ball and being part of the team structure they have there. And what he does on the ball is always improving.

“With his awareness and his skill, he has been a real credit to himself and to the team. If you don’t show what needs to be done on the pitch, you won’t get in the team there. Not all players react well to that situation and Jack has reacted absolutely brilliantly. He’s a top-class player.”