Explain to us how the move to Chelsea from Man City come about?
"The move came about, of course, like anything. As a person, you always strive to achieve stuff. I felt my game time at [Man] City was getting limited for different reasons, and I couldn't afford to waste more time. When I look back in the future, I never wanted to look back and see a rise then a decline. So my feeling was I needed to keep at the same level, and a fresh challenge was needed."
How difficult a decision was it, and what conversations did you have with the club?
"Since I was 17, I've been a regular starter, and to get to the peak time in my career, not to be playing regularly was something I wouldn't accept. My personality is to try to fight and change the scenario, but it didn't come, and that was it."
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Why Chelsea, and was the fact the club is going through a transformative period attractive?
"With the few other options I had, this one was more tailormade for my personal goals. For my family, it makes a lot of sense, and with the direction, the club is going in. If you look at Chelsea in the last couple of years, I think it's four of five finals they've been in. It's a team that is competing and is only going to get better. So for me, with the new ownership and takeover, it made a lot of sense."
Does it feel like you've come home?
"I feel like it's my full journey. Going up to Liverpool and manifesting what I wanted, going to City and living the dream, and now coming back to London as a grown adult, being in the football game, and I feel like I've got my head on my shoulders. I know exactly what I what from my life and football. So it's a perfect time to have a new challenge."
Where would you prefer to play at Chelsea?
"As you all know, my position is mainly as a winger, but some of the times, I enjoy floating about and getting on the ball. I always judge myself on how effective I am in the game. So it depends where I'll be most effective. Against Everton, I played as a false nine, and I'll always be happy where I can be effective and help the team."
How much are you looking forward to your home debut against Spurs and against your England colleague Harry Kane?
"It's a tough first couple of fixtures, and I think we can test ourselves for sure and put us in a good stead for the season."
Did you feel you had to move again to keep kicking on and not decline?
"I wouldn't say a decline. With the game time being limited, like anything, I'm 27 years old, and I know my standards, and I know what I bring to a team. I wouldn't accept anything less."
Do you feel pressure to come and deliver straight away?
"Pre-season was up and down in terms of results and what the manager wanted. But pre-season isn't real. We try to build on that, and you can see from the short time we've been back at Cobham, that the energy and unity of the team is what you guys hear about. You can feel that going into games, and I am really optimistic being in the building, seeing how the guys work, and how passionate the manager is."
Callum Hudson-Odoi has spoken about how you've come in and are helping the younger players, is that a new role for you?
"It's one of my traits that no matter how old you are, it's good to try to nurture younger people in whatever profession it is. You don't want a hostile environment for them to come into. You want it to be one they can flourish. When I was young, I had someone like Steven Gerrard around me. When I went into the national team, he had his arm around me, and that makes you a lot more relaxed around the camp so you can do your best. That's all I ever try to do. Have jokes and laugh but at the same time get the work done and feel comfortable."
How difficult was it to make the decision to leave after what you achieved at City?
"Of course, with the time I spent at City, there were a lot of memories and top moments. But the year and a bit I was out of the team taught me a lot about myself and made me value a lot of things and try to get them in order. A lot of things happen for a reason, and I kept with that mentality. It was difficult, my kids went to school there, and my son is missing his friends. But in life, you have to make decisions that are best for yourself and for your family."
A few years ago, six Chelsea fans were banned from the club because of the abuse directed at you, did that play on your mind?
“That was the first time I remembered it, I saw a short thing about it yesterday. It wasn’t something that played on my mind at all. I can't let an incident from individuals change my perception of the club."
Have you set goals for yourself and the team this season?
“I am optimistic about coming here in the first place. I always set myself goals so I know what I want to achieve personally and what I want to achieve with the football club, which is most important.”
Gareth Southgate was with you yesterday, and with the World Cup looming, how nice is it to build connections with the Chelsea players here?
"Knowing the boys from England, they are a really top bunch of lads. So it's made the transition coming here a lot smoother than coming to somewhere you don't know anyone. So I came in and literally fit right in. It was a good transition."
What did Gareth have to say to you?
"The conversation with him after training yesterday was brief as I had to go into doping. So it was a quick one as I had to get it done."
Will we see your best football at Chelsea?
"I'm excited by the opportunity. I've been given this chance to come and showcase my talents, and it's one, having grown up a bit in terms of off the field and inside the changing room and around the club, it's a developing side of me I want to see more. I want to be more involved in dressing-room decisions, being more vocal and trying to drive the team on."
What did the manager and owners say to you?
"I think it's he said to me my directness, always threatening in behind, not always wanting it into feet, going in behind. But most importantly, it's how I attack the box, and with the full-backs that we have here, he said that's the one thing he wants to see a lot more, so that was the conversation there."
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