Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge has insisted that he wants to pay regular football this season.

The 22-year-old has warned manager Roberto Di Matteo that he won't be accepting a place on the bench.

Sturridge faces a fight to get into the first team after Chelsea significantly strengthened their forward line this summer. Eden Hazard, Oscar, Marko Marin have joined Sturridge at Stamford Bridge, with other strikers such as Edinson Cavani and Hulk linked with big-money moves.

"On a personal level, I just want to be playing regular first-team football," Sturridge told Chelsea's official website.

"Nobody wants to sit on the bench so it's important for me this season to be playing regularly and show everybody what I'm capable of doing as a centre-forward.

"Hopefully this season I'll be playing up front, so whoever the manager signs or wants to bring in, it only gives me the impetus to want to do better. It's important that you take your opportunities when they come along."

Sturridge represented Great Britain's football team at the Olympics this summer.