Jose Mourinho has revealed he was not expecting Frank Lampard to join Manchester City after leaving Chelsea.

The 36-year-old waved goodbye to Stamford Bridge this summer after 13 glorious seasons in SW6.

He remains as a Blues legend having made 648 appearances and became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with an incredible 211 strikes.

Loan ranger: Lampard is on loan at City

Lampard agreed terms with New York City after making his Blues exit but then signed a short-term loan deal with Manuel Pellegrini's champions.

It was a move that surprised Mourinho, who will come face-to-face with his former player when he takes Chelsea to the Etihad on Sunday.

“It’s football. If you’d said that four or five years ago, I would have said it was strange,” said Mourinho.

Big Apple: Lampard in New York

“Even a few months ago, when he signed for the New York team, I was not expecting this. But it was his decision.

“It’s life. When he left for New York, I thought he was going there. But it’s his life, his decision, and he has my respect for that.”

Diego Costa, who had to settle for a place on the bench in midweek, will return against the Premier League champions as Mourinho tries to manage the striker’s fragile hamstrings.