Gianfranco Zola backed his former club to win their fight to keep Frank Lampard despite Jose Mourinho stepping up his bid to sign the Chelsea midfielder.

The Inter Milan boss is desperate to be reunited with his former player and has spelled out his admiration, describing Lampard as "the best professional I've ever worked with".

Chelsea are determined to make the 30-year-old see out the last 12 months of his contract after he rejected their offer of a new four-year deal. Mourinho is poised to test Chelsea's resolve with a £10million offer having had a second bid of £7.95m rejected on Tuesday.

However, Zola, who was team-mates with Lampard at Chelsea for two years and still keeps in touch with his old club, believe the Blues will come out on top.

The former Italy striker said: "It will be hard for Inter to sign Frank. I don't know whether Inter will really be able to get him because it all depends on Chelsea's will to sell and the player's desire to leave. This seems like a difficult operation to say the least."

Inter Milan director Gabriele Oriali fears their hope is fading despite knowing of Lampard's desire to join them.

He said: "We have done everything that we can, but we can't force Chelsea to let him go. What is certain is that the player really wants to come to Inter."

Mourinho's latest comments are more likely to stiffen Chelsea's resolve rather than make them agree a deal with the Italian club.

The former Porto coach was speaking to Ford's FeelFootball.com debate programme in May, but significantly agreed for his interview to be released last night.

Mourinho said: "He is the best professional I have ever worked with. He's the player that trains better, has more concentration, more commitment and is always focused on himself.

"He is never happy about his performance, always wants to improve, 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 practice exactly that situation.

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

Mourinho went on to praise some of the other former players he had at the Bridge before going on to hail Lampard again.

He said: "At Chelsea I was lucky because I had a nucleus of the kinds of characters who are ready to die to win.

The African group I could say was a group of characters - Claude Makelele, William Gallas, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien - this group of players had incredible character.

"And John Terry was a great captain, too. Lampard is incredibly professional. God gave players the talent. Some of them waste this talent but some of them with this kind of mentality make themselves better and these are the kind of the players that can last forever."

Lampard's mood may not improve when he is joined by Chelsea's new signing Deco at training for the first time today. Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari insists he bought Deco to play alongside Lampard, but the Portugal international is expected to be given a prominent role in the side and at the club.

It means Lampard may find his influence on team affairs reduced should he stay next season.

All players have reported back for pre-season training now apart from Michael Ballack, who has been given permission to join up with the squad when they depart for their tour to China on 20 July.