Marco Palestra has wasted no time setting his ambitions at Chelsea, declaring that he wants to match — and ultimately surpass — the legendary status of Gianfranco Zola at Stamford Bridge.

The 21-year-old Italian joined Chelsea in a £47 million move from Atalanta this summer, becoming the latest in a long line of Italian players to represent the Blues. Palestra acknowledged that lineage openly, pointing to predecessors such as Gianfranco Zola, Gianluca Vialli, and Jorginho as inspiration.

"I didn't call him for advice about joining Chelsea, but I know Zola played for Cagliari and Chelsea — he is a legend," Palestra told the club's official website. "Maybe I can achieve the same success as he did at Chelsea. I hope I can become a legend like him at Chelsea."

Palestra also spoke warmly about his time at Cagliari, crediting the club with transforming his career. He revealed that coach Pisacane handed him a starting berth just three days after his arrival, a vote of confidence that helped him flourish.

"Cagliari completely changed my life," he said. "My teammates trusted me more and more with every game. The fans were amazing, simply incredible."

The move to Stamford Bridge came despite interest from Inter Milan, and Palestra revealed that former Chelsea player Davide Zappacosta played a role in his decision, consistently praising the club. "He always told me all the good things about Chelsea — he's a great person," Palestra said.

The midfielder also expressed enthusiasm for working under head coach Xabi Alonso, whose footballing philosophy has already made an impression on the squad. "All my Chelsea teammates like his style — it's a really good approach," Palestra said. "I'm happy to train and play in the early season matches with Xabi Alonso and my teammates. I think we can have a good season."

Palestra added that Alonso spoke to him at length before he signed, covering topics that extended beyond tactics. "We had a great conversation about many aspects, so I am very satisfied with that," he said.