Cesare Casadei has insisted that he doesn't regret leaving Inter Milan to join Chelsea. The 20-year-old midfielder has attracted plenty of attention recently following his impressive performances for Italy at the Under-20s World Cup.
Casadei, who swapped the San Siro for Stamford Bridge last summer, led his country to the final in Argentina before Uruguay stopped them in their tracks. Despite having fallen at the final hurdle, he enjoyed a spectacular tournament winning both the player of the tournament and the golden boot.
The Blues ace scored seven goals and recorded two assists in seven games – one of which came against England in a 2-1 win where he locked horns with the likes of Harvey Vale and Carney Chukwuemeka. After putting his name on the map, Casadei was – unsurprisingly – met with a flurry of the utmost praise from pundits and former players.
One of whom was Claudio Marchisio, who declared the youngster ready to join Juventus. Speaking to Gazzetta, as quoted by Football Italia, the former Italy international said: "Casadei is ready. We admired him at the U20 World Cup in South America and he didn’t surprise me, but I think this experience made him grow as a man."
Despite an element of doubt hanging over his future with Chelsea chasing the signature of Moises Caicedo, Casadei insisted that he's determined to don the Blue jersey in the Premier League. Speaking to Sportweek, as quoted by Football Italia, he said: "It’s an experience that is teaching me a lot in every aspect.
"I’m really happy with the choice I made along with my agent Paolo Busardò. It wasn’t the easiest option, but I wanted to take this opportunity because the chance to sign for a team like Chelsea, might only come up a few times in your career, if not only once.
"Today, I can say that this experience is giving me a lot from both a human and professional point of view. I feel like I’ve improved a lot since coming here."
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Then, on his plans ahead of the new season, Casadei added: "I’ll be honest, I’ve never had one. As a football fan, I’ve always liked the players more than the teams. I’ve just finished the season and I want to disconnect from football for a few days.
"Afterwards, it will depend on the options that are on the table and my decisions. But, I have a five-year contract with Chelsea. I’ve embarked on a journey that isn’t a short term mission.
"The club is investing in young players and I aim to be part of its project. My ambition is to wear the shirt and play in the Premier League, which is currently the number one league in the world."
