Antonio Rudiger insists he was never told by Chelsea and Frank Lampard that he wasn't wanted and that he is ready to fight for his place.
The 27-year-old has not been in Lampard's matchday squads this season and was subject to a potential transfer move in the summer.
Loans to Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, AC Milan and West Ham were all potentials for the Germany international, but in the end he stayed with the Blues.
With five centre-backs in his squad, is was expected that Lampard was going to move on one of his defenders, however that didn't happen as a late move to the Hammers for Fikayo Tomori also fell through.
Rudiger could have moved on, but he admits that he didn't want to leave Chelsea for the wrong move.
"The club didn’t tell me that it was absolutely necessary for me to find a new club and that they definitely didn’t have me in their plans for the next few months," Rudiger told The Athletic.
"I also turned down one or two options myself. I wasn’t prepared to pack it all in simply because I had been left out a few times. I enjoy living in London and like being at Chelsea."
Rudiger has been out of Lampard's matchday squad throughout the 2020/21 campaign so far and is yet to make an appearance for the club this season.
The defender has remained a regular for his country, but with Euro 2021 next summer he will be hoping for more regular playing time.
And despite being fourth or fifth choice right now, he is prepared to fight for his place in Lampard's starting XI, with Kurt Zouma and Thiago Silva being the most likely partnership for the campaign.
"It is what it is now. I will accept it for the time being and try to show myself in every training session. We are in many different competitions, it’s two games per week all the way from now," Rudiger added.
"Sometimes in football, things can change very quickly. That’s why I will continue to give my best every day and try to convince the manager."
