Tonight the chants will reverberate around Stamford Bridge once more: 'Sign him up, sign him up'.
It’s too late, even for one of the game’s great statesman.
Judging by Frank Lampard’s emotional response after scoring twice at Everton last Sunday, it promises to be a long goodbye.
He’s milking this and so he should as his career with the club comes to a close after 11 years in west London.
Lampard is closing in on Kerry Dixon’s goalscoring record and is just one short of equalling his total of 193. Then he will be second on the list and then even the great Bobby Tambling’s record (202) will be in his sights.
Despite the hysteria around him at the moment, Chelsea have made the decision to move on without him next season. They want him to stay and fulfil the final few months of his contract and then he will be gone.
LA Galaxy, his most likely destination, will have to wait until the end of the season before they can recruit the best midfielder in Chelsea’s history.
The style council that sits on Chelsea’s Football Club board – Bruce Buck, Eugene Tenenbaum, Ron Gourlay, Dave Barnard and Mike Forde – are guided from above. Roman Abramovich is a ruthless man and, nine years into his ownership of the club, he wants change at Chelsea.
The future is a midfield with the dynamic presence of Oscar, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard with the muscular presence of Ramires and John Obi Mikel sitting in behind them. It is a new way of playing at Chelsea and Lampard, despite his incredible record in front of goal, will not be a part of it.
He's still got it: Lampard scores Chelsea's winner at Goodison Park last weekendThis is all being prepared for the next manager, giving him a free run after years of dressing room rule at Stamford Bridge. They want to change the culture of the club, to break up the dressing room influences that have shaped Chelsea for so long. This is the right time for Chelsea to make changes, even if it means a future without one of their finest players.
It had to happen at some stage and the end of his contract is a natural break. He learned that he was on his way in slightly unfortunate circumstances after Rafa Benitez revealed that he would be leaving the club ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Manchester City.
It wasn’t that long ago, in the pre-season following Chelsea’s title triumph under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010, that the Italian told him he could play at the top level until he 'was 38 or 39'.
He will turn 35 in June and there is little doubt he will prolong his playing career beyond the summer.Lampard continues to put in the extra work on the training pitches to enhance his fitness, a habit he picked up as a young player at West Ham.
Penny for his thoughts: Roman Abramovich is the man that makes the big decisions at ChelseaBack then his contemporaries in the youth team would make fun of him for putting in the hard yards after a tough training session, but it has all worked out in his favour.
It was only a few years ago that Jose Mourinho told Lampard he was the best central midfielder in world football and at the time it was hard to find anyone better.
His enthusiasm for the game remains intact, but there are personal decisions to be made before he can leave for LA Galaxy in the summer.
His commitments with England will certainly be a consideration, especially if he moves to America.Although David Beckham won his place back in the national team after he was initially discarded by Steve McClaren in 2006, it will be difficult for Lampard to continue under Roy Hodgson.
Back in the day: Lampard playing for Chelsea against Leicester shortly after he joined the Blues in 2001England have a friendly with Ireland in May and then travel to Brazil for a friendly at the Maracana in early June.
Hodgson wants Lampard to be part of his squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but it will be difficult to pick him if he is in America.
Those conversations are for Lampard to have with Hodgson in the future, but the present is all about a glorious finish to his Chelsea career.
After that, the scramble will be on to sign him up.
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