Trevoh Chalobah has revealed his regret at his Chelsea exit and admitted he wanted to be a "legend" at Stamford Bridge.
The 27-year-old defender, who won two Club World Cups with the Blues, was deemed surplus to requirements in the summer and sold to Italian side Como for £30 million ($40.1m).
Chalobah told the Athletic: "The team didn't achieve what we wanted to achieve last season, but I thought I had one of my best seasons, playing the most games and scoring a few goals.
"I'd been there since I was eight and I wanted to be a legend there, but sometimes the way we plan things is not how things work out.
"As footballers, you've always got to be ready to adapt. You could be here one moment, then the next moment you're somewhere else.
"But I just thought that it was the best. Chelsea means everything to me. I'm still watching the games, keeping in contact with the players and staff."
Chalobah made more than 150 appearances for Chelsea, also winning an FA Cup and the Conference League.
- Jordan Henderson not giving up on England after Chelsea revitalisation
- Morgan Rogers: João Pedro's 'hunger' to score makes everyone at Chelsea better
But his time in west London was brought to an end when Como manager Cesc Fàbregas, the former Blues midfielder, came calling.
"The manager reached out to me over the summer and explained the project and where he saw me playing," added the England international.
"I read about the rise of Como, how exciting the team is. He really wanted me and my experience. That felt good and it was time for a change.
"As a footballer, it's good to experience different things and it was an easy decision to come abroad again. The football is amazing. The manager we have is great."