Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta has joined Atalanta in a permanent deal.

The Italian defender heads back to the club where he first played Serie A football, ending his four-year Chelsea career.

Zappacosta spent last season in his homeland on loan with Genoa and featured heavily for Il Grifone, recovering well from a serious knee injury he sustained while on loan with Roma the season prior, and going on to feature 25 times for the northern Italy side.

The right-back made a number of appearances for the Blues in pre-season but with the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and Reece James above him in the pecking order at present, Thomas Tuchel has allowed Zappacosta to move on.