Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic would like to follow the success of Frank Lampard after claiming to be flattered by interest linking him with Chelsea.

Pjanic has scored once and made two assist in 11 appearances for Roma this season.

Lampard meanwhile is set to leave Chelsea at the end of the campaign, departing the club as one of their most decorated ever players and with the club potentially seeking a replacement, Pjanic says he is flattered by reported interest in his services.

Miralem Pjanic
Pjanic is flattered by talk of joining Chelsea.

"I am flattered to be linked with a team such as Chelsea, a European Cup winner, but I have a contract here at Roma," the Bosnian midfielder said.

"Could I replace Frank Lampard? He is a legend there. He has done so much for the club and I hope to achieve such feats myself one day."

After defeat in the Club World Cup final on Sunday, Chelsea resume their domestic campaign in the League Cup quarter final against Leeds United, renewing an old rivalry between two of English football's biggest clubs.

The most famous meeting between the two sides came in the 1970 FA Cup final a game which Chelsea won after extra time in a replay after one of the most memorable finals in the cup's history.

Former Chelsea full back Graeme Le Saux, who captained the club to a League Cup win over Leeds the last time the two sides met over in a knock-out scenario, and he expects as competitive a tie as ever.

"Elland Road has always been a difficult place for as long as I can remember, and a lot of that was because of the FA Cup Final in 1970," says Le Saux. "Now the sides haven't played each other for a long time, and I'm sure it will be equally as competitive on Wednesday.

"They will be seeing Chelsea as a huge scalp now, rather than the equal footing it was then, and it will mean a lot to them. I am sure it will be a really intense game and I look forward to it."

On Thursday, Chelsea will discover their Europa League fate when the draws for the last-32 and last 16 are completed in Nyon.