Chelsea winger Willian admits he would have left the club this summer had Antonio Conte stayed on as manager.
The Brazilian endured a difficult relationship with the Italian during their two years working together at Stamford Bridge.
And the 30-year-old looked set to join his former boss through the exit door this summer with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United all monitoring his situation.
But Willian has remained, and even started Maurizio Sarri’s first game in charge on Saturday – a 3-0 win away at Huddersfield.
He admitted after the game he would be elsewhere by now had Conte been stood in the technical area: ‘Would I be here if Conte stayed? No chance. No.
‘I’m here. I’m here because I want to play for Chelsea. I will only leave if Chelsea want me to go.’
Willian’s relationship with Conte deteriorated throughout his troubled second season in charge, with the Brazilian photoshopping the Italian out of an Instagram post celebrating the club’s FA Cup triumph in May.
bBut he is now enjoying working under new boss Sarri and implementing his style of play, even in these early stages of the new campaign.
Asked if he was having fun he replied: ‘I think so. We have a lot of players with quality up front, players like Eden Hazard and Pedro. Players like that want to play football.
‘That’s why Sarri talked about ‘fun’ football because he wants to build from the back. This is what we will try to do this season.
‘This is what we do in Brazil and are trying to do here, playing with skill and movement and the manager told us to do that.’
Chelsea return to action on Saturday when they host London rivals Arsenal in the late kick-off.