Newspaper reports suggest Chelsea are lining up a £25m bid for Werder Bremen's Brazilian midfielder Diego, placing Lampard's future in doubt.

In addition, Lampard, 29, is out of contract at Stamford Bridge in May 2009 and has yet to agree a new deal.

"We plan for next season and I can tell you that Frank will stay in Chelsea, I am almost sure about that," said Grant.

"The club wants Frank and he wants to stay so nothing has changed. As for the negotiations, that is not my area."

Midfielder Lampard, who scored four goals in Chelsea's 6-1 demolition of Derby on Wednesday, has been linked with a move to Juventus, who are managed by former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri.

The England international was recently quoted expressing his surprise that more of his compatriots were not playing abroad and suggesting doing so would help them improve.

It has also been suggested that Lampard is waiting to see where Jose Mourinho, who was replaced by Grant at Chelsea, takes his next job in management before deciding on his future.

Under Fifa-adopted European Union law, Lampard has the option to effectively buy out the two remaining year of his contract, with Chelsea entitled to compensation equal to the remainder of his salary.

That would follow a precedent set by the former Hearts defender Andy Webster, who terminated his contract at Tynecastle at the end of the 2006 season.

But Grant added: "Lampard has scored more than 100 goals and I think he will score 150 for Chelsea, I am sure of that.

"Any player who plays like this is not easy to replace. He is a very important player for the team.

"He can score and he can also defend. The situation with Frank has not changed."

(BBC)

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