Gary O'Neil believes that Frank Lampard should consider returning to West Ham to finish his career once his contract with Chelsea expires in the summer.

Lampard scored his 200<sup>th goal for the Blues against West Ham on Sunday and has once again been in supreme goal scoring form. Despite making just 21 league appearances he has fired 12 goals, making it the 10<sup>th consecutive season he has reached double figures.

Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard celebrates after scoring against West Ham. [Reuters]

In total he has now scored 240 goals in his career, a truly remarkable feat for a midfielder whose first senior goal came all the way back in 1995 when he was sent on-loan to Swansea City.

Despite once again playing an instrumental role for Chelsea, Lampard has not been offered a new contract by the club and it seems likely that he will leave Stamford Bridge after 12 years in the summer.

O'Neil believes that Lampard should consider a move back to West Ham who recently re-signed Joe Cole, another former youth graduate who had a number of successful years with Chelsea.

"It's surprising when a player of that stature and quality is allowed to run a contract down," O'Neil told Sky Sports. "He is a fantastic player and would be great here if the club could get hold of him.

"I remember playing against him once for Portsmouth. Harry Redknapp asked me to try to follow him. Well, I've followed him around the Bridge many a time and you think you've got him at 0-0 with 10 minutes to go. But you lose him once and that's it."

Lampard was awarded plenty of space by the West Ham defence at the weekend and was thrilled to achieved such a landmark.

"It is one of my best days," Lampard told BBC Sport."Obviously, winning the Champions League and championships are the best, but personally getting 200 goals for the club, I never thought I would touch that so I am pleased to get it."

The 34-year-old is now just two goals short of Bobby Tambling's club record and will have nine Premier League games in which to break the record. With further games in the FA Cup and Europa League it seems certain that the England midfielder will write his name in the Chelsea history books.