Chelsea will make a third attempt to sign Steven Gerrard from Liverpool if, as expected, Frank Lampard leaves at the end of the season. Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s former manager, was twice out of luck when he tried to buy the Liverpool captain. However, fortune may well smile on his successor, Avram Grant, whose title hopes were raised yesterday when leaders Manchester United could only draw 1-1 at Blackburn thanks to a late goal from Carlos Tevez. Chelsea are three points behind United, who visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Gerrard almost joined Chelsea in June 2004 for £20m, and again 12 months later, for £32m, after the Anfield captain reacted to the interest by submitting a transfer request. He changed his mind only after his family received death threats and a fan burned his replica shirt live on Sky TV.

Now Grant will try to make it third time lucky, if he survives in the job beyond the end of the season and, as seems likely, Lampard leaves to take on a fresh challenge.

Grant, whose Chelsea side meet Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday, said: “Gerrard is a great player and a great person. For me, he is the player of the year in England, and maybe in Europe, because of the influence he has on the team. I like him very much as a player and I know him. He is a nice guy and an example to others. He plays against me, but he’s still my favourite player.”

Grant added that he greatly admired the England midfielder’s versatility, pointing to his success in a new role, playing off Fernando Torres, Liverpool’s main striker. He said: “I’m not surprised; he has the quality to play in any position. In the one he is in now he probably feels more free.”

Reminded that Mourinho had tried to sign him twice, Grant said: “If you can bring him to me, I will be happy.” Gerrard and Lampard are widely considered too similar to play in the same England midfield, and Liverpool’s dynamic leader would be a like-for-like replacement for Lampard, who is known to hanker after a move to Spain, and will probably end up wherever Mourinho resumes his managerial career. Like their playing styles, their records are much the same. Gerrard has scored 21 goals in all competitions this season, Lampard is Chelsea’s leading scorer with 18, albeit in fewer games. For England, Gerrard has netted 12 times in 64 appearances, Lampard 14 in 60.

In terms of market value, Gerrard has the edge, if only because he is still only 27. Lampard will turn 30 in June. Rebuffed twice, Chelsea believe they could get their man this time because Gerrard is known to be unhappy about Liverpool’s continued failure in the Premier League, and is appalled by the boardroom feud at Anfield and what the chief executive, Rick Parry, has called the washing of dirty linen in public.

It has also been noted at Stamford Bridge that in his autobiography, Gerrard admits to “looking long, and jealously, at Chelsea”. Grant’s comments are sure to add extra spice to Tuesday’s clash at Anfield.