Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack set for Chelsea ambassador roles after club director Marina Granovskaia met with the former Blues players

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Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack are set return to the Chelsea fold. 

Lampard, the club’s record goalscorer, won every major honour during his 13 years at Stamford Bridge and Ballack spent four years at the club, winning the Double in 2010.

Both have been regular guests of owner Roman Abramovich since leaving and Lampard has spent time at Chelsea’s training ground as part of his studies towards his coaching qualifications.

Michael Ballack (left) and Frank Lampard are both regular guests of owner Roman Abramovich

Director Marina Granovskaia, the de facto managing director and Abramovich’s closest aide, has met them both and would like to see them involved as official club ambassadors.

Lampard and Ballack both have media commitments which prevent them dedicating the necessary time to any such role immediately but Chelsea hope it can be done in the future.

There is no desire to impose a legendary former player on Antonio Conte and his coaching team.

Director Marina Granovskaia (centre) met with both Lampard and Ballack about the role

Nor are Chelsea searching for a populist replacement for Michael Emenalo, the former technical director, who stepped down last month and has since joined Monaco.

Granovskaia, who has absorbed the bulk of Emenalo’s responsibilities and will be the key executive in the January transfer window, has also taken a leading role in the effort to keep Chelsea connected to its stars of the past.

Meanwhile, ahead of Chelsea’s game at West Ham on Saturday, Conte has told Eden Hazard he must light his ‘sacred fires’ if he is to match ‘giants’ like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The pair can't commit to the club ambassador role at the moment due to media commitments

A day after Hazard ranked 19th on the Ballon d’Or vote for the world’s best player, Conte was adamant his Belgian playmaker could reach the immense levels set of Messi and Ronaldo, who won the award for the fifth time on Thursday.

‘When you see these players you see a hunger in every moment,’ Conte said.

‘I like to call it a “sacred fire” — when you have it inside you, the will to win every game, to score goals. Eden has right characteristic to try to fight with these giants. ’