Jose Mourinho is 'brilliant, brilliant, brilliant' says Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard

The 'Special One' is expected to return to Stamford Bridge this summer

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho shouts to his players during their Spanish King's Cup final match (Reuters)

Frank Lampard has again been more than forthcoming in his praise of Jose Mourinho ahead of the manager's likely return to Chelsea, saying he's “brilliant with his team, brilliant with individuals and I think he's brilliant with the press.”

The 'Special One', who spent three successful years at the club between 2004 and 2007 during which time he delivered two league titles, is certain to leave Real Madrid.

PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti has already told his club he wishes to replace Mourinho at the Bernabeu and Real's club president Florentino Perez will hold a directors meeting today in order to plan the timing of the announcement of the Portuguese manager's departure.

Real Madrid have two games to play this season, but Mourinho may not even oversee them, with a possible announcement on his future this week.

Once he leaves, it is widely understood that it will be only a matter of time before he is unveiled as Chelsea's new manager, a development that will be more than welcomed by Lampard who said today that Mourinho is the best manager he has worked with.

Asked what makes Mourinho so successful, Lampard told TalkSPORT: "It's a presence and an aura and a way with people.

"He galvanises people. His own self-confidence reflects back on his teams. He did that to me personally.

"Tactically he's fantastic. He's very astute. As a team he sets you up brilliantly.

"But what he does is he gets the best out of players and gets this togetherness that I'd never known until he came to the club and I haven't seen it again since then.

"He might rub people up the wrong way. [But] as a manager, he's brilliant with his team, tactically, he's brilliant with individuals and I think he's brilliant with the press. I know it creates a storm, but he does protect his players."

Put to him that a reunion will end in tears after the messy divorce six years ago, Lampard insisted he was sorry to see Mourinho leave first time round.

"I wasn't fed up with it," said Lampard, the club's record goalscorer who signed a one-year contract extension last week.

"He made me believe I was better than I was at the time.

"I thought I was a decent player, but he said to me 'listen, you can really get to the top' and he made me believe it. I tried to take it on and do it.

"I've had really good managers and different managers at times. It's the ones that get the best out of you, individually.

"We're all human beings and if a manager doesn't talk to you and tell you what they want or whether they're happy with you... we've all got confidence that is up and down.

"Mourinho was the best. For me he was. He brought my confidence to a level it had never been."