Chelsea's new signing Marco van Ginkel is determined to earn a starting position under manager Jose Mourinho, insisting that he hasn't joined the club to sit on the bench.
The 20-year-old officially joined the Blues from Vitesse Arnhem on Friday.
The Dutch midfielder has plenty of competition at Stamford Bridge, but he hopes that he will get his fair share of games this season, particularly with Mourinho singling him out for praise.
"I want to play games and not only sit on the bench, that's what I hope for," Van Ginkel told his new club's official website.
"I want to play in games at these great stadiums and hopefully be important for the team, whether it is from the bench or from the start.
"I spoke with the manager and he had some good words for me. If a trainer like this says these things to you, it makes you really proud and I am happy to work with him."
Van Ginkel has earned one cap for the Netherlands.