Davide Zappacosta has revealed he "would love to stay" at Roma as he edges closer to a return to action following a serious knee injury.
The defender joined Chelsea from Torino in 2017 and helped the Blues win the FA Cup in his debut season and was also part of the Europa League winning squad last season.
But Zappacosta opted to join the Serie A side on loan last summer but ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a training session just weeks after joining.
And now following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the Italy international is hoping to be involved when football in Italy resumes in June.
"On a personal level, I would love to stay in Rome for several reasons," he told Sky Sport Italia. "The main one is that I want to show the fans, my team-mates and the management who I am and what I can do.
"I have worked a lot in these months, I have trained and I have made sacrifices to be available at the restart of the championship.
"I am doing some sessions completely dedicated to the knee, because it takes time to recover better from this injury. But now I feel 90 per cent fit."
Before adding: "England and Chelsea have given me a lot," Zappacosta said. "I had the chance to play with great champions and win two trophies.
"The Premier League is a championship where people never give up."
It remains to be seen if Zappacosta would head back to Roma on loan or permanently if a deal can be reached.
If it's the latter then Blues head coach Frank Lampard's summer transfer budget would be boosted by a surprise windfall.
Valued at £10.8m on transfermarkt, selling Zappacosta could help fund big money deals for the likes of Timo Werner, Jadon Sancho or Moussa Dembele when the transfer window opens
