Danilo D’Ambrosio has revealed how and why he turned down Chelsea, and his later excitement to be at Inter.
The full-back moved to the Nerazzurri in January, but has considered in the latest issue of Calcio2000 how his future could have been so different, had talks with Chelsea nine years ago proved fruitful.
“It is true, I was 16 years old and Chelsea wanted me,” the 25-year-old former Torino defender has admitted.
Danilo D’Ambrosio has revealed how and why he turned down Chelsea, and his later excitement to be at Inter.
The full-back moved to the Nerazzurri in January, but has considered in the latest issue of Calcio2000 how his future could have been so different, had talks with Chelsea nine years ago proved fruitful.
“It is true, I was 16 years old and Chelsea wanted me,” the 25-year-old former Torino defender has admitted.
“I remember that we went to London, my father and I. It was his first plane ride and I remember that he was more tense for the journey than for anything else.
“I remember everything, the crazy atmosphere, the facilities, fantastic but, in the end, in agreement with my family, I decided not to go there…
“Why? There was a fear of being too hasty. Certainly, they offered me a nice contract, but my parents told me that money is not everything in life and also I did not want to split the family at that time.
“Thus, both myself and my brother went to Florence, without a contract. [Then Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo] Corvino was there and there was an interesting revival project, we liked it as a solution…
“Then a contract arrived? Yes, I arrived in late August and by mid-September I had signed a three-year agreement.”
D’Ambrosio’s career has now taken him to Inter and to working with Walter Mazzarri.
“I knew of Mazzarri’s interest since when he was Coach at Napoli. When he arrived at Inter, I hoped that he would call me and, in January, I received a call telling me that I could go to Inter. Obviously I did not think for a moment…
“And first contact with Pinetina…to be honest I was more excited about entering the dressing room.
“Here I met champions who were a part of Inter’s history and not only that. You must realise that, having just arrived, I had my photograph with Zanetti, this was how excited I was.
“The coming season? As always the goal is to improve every day, working to do better, so I hope to do better.
“And the Europa League? We have done so much to get here and we will strive to do well. Players, as I always say, go out into the field to win, always.”