Ashley Young admits it was impossible to turn Inter down when the Nerazzurri came calling last year.

The wing-back signed on a €1.5 million deal from Manchester United in January 2020, following a request from head coach Antonio Conte.

Young has since made 54 appearances for Inter in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing eight assists.

Speaking to his former Watford teammate Jordan Stewart on Slimzilla Daily, a podcast produced by Vover, the 35-year-old recalled: “The opportunity (to join Inter) came out of the blue really.

“I’d been at Manchester United for nine years and the interest came.

“I thought: ‘To play for one of the biggest clubs in Italy, and to play regularly… I can’t turn it down.'”

Young was faced with a series of new tactical challenges when he joined Inter and explained the differences between playing in the Premier League and in Serie A.

“Italian football is much more tactical,” the former Aston Villa winger confirmed.

“Lots of teams play in their own half and try to win the ball back there.

“Several teams play with 3-5-2 and give great importance to the wing-backs, who have to defend and attack, and the top sides can loses with teams in mid-table or at the bottom.

“I remember that in my first day of training at Inter we did an exercise that they call ‘blocks’.

“I asked: ‘What are blocks?’

“They all saw me with a lost expression, I didn’t know what they were.

“Conte never stops during matches: with the stadiums empty you can always hear what he’s saying.”

Young also explained how he had fared in terms of learning Italian, an essential skill in order to fully understand Conte’s instructions in training at Appiano Gentile.

“I’ve only learned a few words in Italian but the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame for that,” he added.

“I had a teacher, but the pandemic arrived after my first lesson and I wasn’t able to meet her again.

“I could try online lessons from home but I already have my kids on video links for school.

“I can understand Italian but I can’t speak it; I can’t carry a conversation.”

Young is out of contract at Inter in the summer and is not expected to sign an extension, as per recent reports in Italy.