Mourinho plays waiting game with Chelsea trio

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Captain John Terry, midfielder Frank Lampard and left-back Ashley Cole are all out of contract at the end of the season.

“It’s a situation that doesn’t worry me, doesn’t worry the club and, I think, doesn’t worry the players,” Mourinho said.

“Their desire to play for this club, nobody has doubts about it. We want them to feel free to express and to enjoy these last years of their careers.

“Everything is very calm (and) at the end of the season, probably before that, the club will sit with them, the offer will be on the table.”

Lampard became Chelsea’s record goalscorer towards the end of last season as speculation mounted that he was to leave the Blues, who he joined in 2001 from West Ham.

He belatedly signed a one-year contract extension, but the 35-year-old’s predicament then has led to suggestions of a similar scenario unfolding.

“Probably last season was more complicated,” added Mourinho, who returned to Chelsea in June.

“John was not playing, Lampard was almost signing a contract with LA Galaxy and he was not also feeling important in the team. In this moment the situation is very, very clear. They trust the club, we trust the players.”

Lampard and Mourinho spoke about the England midfielder’s future prior to the Portuguese being approached about a Chelsea return.

Mourinho added: “At that time I was Real Madrid manager, not Chelsea manager, and I gave my opinion. Just my opinion, as a friend at that time.

“The opinion was to wait. Trust yourself, wait, play.”

Lampard, Terry and Cole have been at the forefront of Chelsea’s success for some time, but Mourinho is now trying to instil the winning mentality of the trio within his whole squad.

Chelsea enter this weekend’s fixtures in third place, five points behind leaders Arsenal, who play at Manchester City in today’s lunchtime game ahead of the Blues’ contest with Crystal Palace.

Asked what result he would favour at the Etihad Stadium, Mourinho said: “I would prefer a draw. If you ask me for one of them to lose three points or both of them to lose four points, I prefer both of them to lose four points — two each.”

Defender Gary Cahill will be rested today, with the upcoming fixtures in mind.

Ashley Cole will return to the substitutes’ bench, with Spain right-back Cesar Azpilicueta taking his place at left-back, and is instead selected for next week’s Capital One Cup quarter-final at Sunderland.

Meanwhile Eagles boss Tony Pulis is assessing his squad prior to the opening of the winter transfer window. Before engaging in transfer dealings, Pulis is focused on matches with Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Norwich on New Year’s Day.

“We know it’s a tough run and we’ll find out more about the group and about the squad.

“Then that’s the best time to assess where we’re going to go,” he said.