Nicolò Zaniolo has settled well into life at Aston Villa and admits he is happy to play in any position for the benefit of the team.
The Italy international joined Villa earlier this summer on loan from Turkish side Galatasaray.
Zaniolo has featured in all four matches for which he has been eligible this season, starting the last two against Crystal Palace and Legia Warszawa.
He has already showed his ability to play in several attacking positions, and the 24-year-old is clear in his response when asked what is his best place on the pitch.
“I’m a versatile player,” he said.
“I can play on the right, I can play on the left, I can play in the middle.
“But, for me, the most important is not my position, it is the team. The focus is the team and the targets of the team.
“For me, if the mister tells me ‘today, you play right’, okay, ‘today, you play left’, no problem.
“I’m here to help the team and I give all my best for this.”
Zaniolo arrived at the club in mid-August and has enjoyed his first month in the midlands.
Asked how he has settled in, Zaniolo replied: “Very good.
“My team-mates, the staff, the club are very good, very friendly.
“Since the first day I came here, everyone has been like a family.
“I’m very happy to be here and show my ability on the pitch. I hope I can do that.”
The Villans head into the clash on the back of a frustrating 3-2 defeat to Legia Warszawa in Poland on Thursday night.
But Unai Emery’s side showed their character and resilience to score three late goals and see off Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.
And Zaniolo says Villa, who triumphed 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last season, must remain focused for the trip to west London.
“Chelsea are a great team. They have very good players,” he said.
“Sometimes things are good, sometimes things are not good, but what’s important is to always stay focused.
“I don’t know if we win, if we lose or if we draw in the match but we are all focused.”
