Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Cesc Fabregas is perfectly suited to filling the position Frank Lampard occupied for 13 years.
The 27-year-old former Arsenal captain signed from Barcelona in June after Chelsea record goalscorer Lampard left under freedom of contract at the end of last season.
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Fabregas scored in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Ferencvaros in Budapest on Sunday - on a day when Lampard was sitting in the stands for Manchester City after signing on loan from New York City FC - in the Blues’ penultimate pre-season friendly before next Monday’s Premier League opening contest at Burnley.
Mourinho said on chelseafc.com: “Frank is the history of the club, history nobody can forget.
“Fabregas is the future; history is history but the future is more important at the moment.
“My opinion, and the opinion of my players, is that Fabregas is the right player to occupy that central position in midfield.”
Chelsea returned from Hungary late on Sunday night ahead of their match with Real Sociedad on Tuesday.
It is still too soon to know the full extent of the ankle injury which forced Didier Drogba off during the first half against Ferencvaros.
Second-half goals from Ramires and Fabregas gave Chelsea the win at Ferencvaros in a game to mark the opening of the Hungarian side’s new stadium in Budapest.
Former West Brom and Fulham player Zoltan Gera had scored the first goal at the new ground on the quarter-hour mark but Jose Mourinho’s side hit back after the interval.
Ramires volleyed in on 50 minutes and Fabregas hit the winner with a fine individual goal 10 minutes from time.
Chelsea complete their pre-season at home to Real Sociedad on Tuesday before opening their Premier League campaign at promoted Burnley on Monday, August 18.
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