Chelsea full-back Davide Zappacosta said Inter Milan tried to sign him in the summer -- and admitted he may have to leave in future if he doesn't get regular game time.

Zappacosta, 26, moved to Chelsea from Torino in 2017 and is not first choice at Stamford Bridge. The Italian started just 12 matches in the league last season and has yet to feature under Maurizio Sarri this term.

"I want to try to give the coach food for thought, also because my objective is to remain in the reckoning for Italy. Inter sought me in the summer, but I am happy here," Zappacosta told Il Corriere dello Sport.

"If I were not to play much, though, I'd think about [leaving]. Nobody likes being on the bench."

Davide Zappacosta is not first choice at Chelsea. Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Zappacosta, capped 12 times by Italy, said the arrival of Sarri following Antonio Conte's sacking played a part in his decision to remain at Stamford Bridge.

"Both [Conte and Sarri] study their opponents in depth and they take care of the team's organisation. Antonio, though, has his predefined tactics. Sarri wants quick touches and possession of the ball. He's nice and often makes jokes, but most of the time only a few of us understand because they are in Italian, and I was surprised by how good his English is.

"I had problems with my language at the start, but I got by and now things are going much better. I just need another year to try to perfect it. As soon as I got here, [Alvaro] Morata welcomed me really well.

"In Chelsea, which is where I live, I've got to know a lot of Italians, and then in the dressing room I get on well with everybody. [Eden] Hazard is really funny, he's joking all the time.

ESPN FC's Italy correspondent Ben Gladwell contributed to this report.