Young: "I've received a fantastic welcome, this is a great team"

MILAN – His adventure in Italian football has only just begun, but he’s already been thrown into the thick of things out on the pitch. Ashley Young has already played two full games as a starter, once on the right flank against Cagliari (during which he provided an assist for Lautaro) and once on the left wing against Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia. The Englishman has made a great impact and had the following to say when interviewed by Sky Sport after Inter’s win against Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia: “It’s been a very positive start, I like it here. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, also because I’ve had a fantastic welcome from everybody, from both my teammates and the staff. It’s been a really smooth transition for me. The only disappointing thing was the draw against Cagliari: it was a match which we needed to win. However, things have begun well for me.”

Young provided an assist on his league debut: “It’s always great to provide your teammates with opportunities to score, let’s hope more assists are around the corner.” From the very start, his name has been sung all around San Siro: “The Inter fans are incredible, their support is impressive and lasts throughout. They constantly sing, they support you, push you on and dedicate chants to you. It’s wonderful.”

On the differences between the Premier League and Italian football: “Serie A is definitely more of a tactical league. I don’t have any preferences: left or right, I’ll play wherever the Coach decides to put me.” Young also spoke about his relationship with Conte: “He wanted me when he was at Chelsea. He’s fantastic, ambitious and spurs you on in the quest to achieve set objectives. I joined Inter from Manchester United because I knew that I’d have the opportunity to play on a regular basis. I’m really happy to have been given this opportunity.

“Inter have a great side: I followed them before I arrived, now that I’m here I’ve become more aware of this after every training session. There’s a desire to win, this is a historic and prestigious Club. By fighting together we can aim for big things. Right now, however, we need to take it one game and competition at a time. Then there will be time to look back and see what we’ve achieved.”