Carlton Cole has urged Tammy Abraham to grab the opportunity of a lifetime at Chelsea.
A fellow academy graduate at Stamford Bridge, Cole struggled to get opportunities in the first team during his five years with the Blues first-team.
21-year-old Abraham started Sunday's 4-0 loss to Manchester United and will likely see plenty of minutes this season due the club being banned from signing players until 2020.
"I wish I was coming through at Chelsea with a transfer ban," Cole told Goal. "This is an excellent chance for Tammy Abraham.
"When I was out there, I was fighting for my life. Hopefully, these boys from the youth team can grasp this chance to make a good account of themselves.
"They have to have the desire to realise what a big chance this is. I would have loved this chance when I was back there. Can you imagine if I had an opportunity like this? I never had that. You need a run of games to show what you can do.
"You will see that these boys will definitely get their chances, the next question is, will they take it? For Tammy, he knows this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I hope he will take his chance. He is a good player. He still has a lot to learn but where's the best place to learn it?
"Under someone who believes in you and who thinks you can do well for him. The thing is that Lampard also has no choice but to believe in him. He is in a win-win situation, Abraham, but he must believe in himself.
"He has to do something for Chelsea by the end of the year. This is a big stage. He was brilliant at Aston Villa but this is a promotion. This is the big time."
