LONDON -- Nathan Ake says he is hopeful of winning a regular first-team place at Chelsea as Antonio Conte has told him that "age doesn't matter" when it comes to picking his side.
Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Ake making his first Blues appearance since May 2015 after Conte decided to cut short the youngster's season-long loan at Bournemouth earlier this month.
Ake produced an assured performance at left wing-back in the first half before shifting into the left of Chelsea's back three in the second, and after the match the 21-year-old revealed that Conte believes his versatility will be useful for the rest of the campaign.
"On the first day I was back he called me into his office and explained the different positions he sees me in and what he expects from me when I play there," Ake said of Conte. "[He said] that for him age doesn't matter and I have to show him that I'm ready to be here. That's what I do in training -- I try to train hard, play well and hopefully he'll see it.
"It was positive that he called me back [from Bournemouth]. That gave me confidence. You've seen Nathaniel [Chalobah] and Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] getting games [this season] so it's good."
Ake had never played at wing-back prior to facing Brentford and has trained more at centre-back since returning to Chelsea, but he believes the experience he gained in 18 months on loan at Watford and Bournemouth has made him better prepared for different challenges.
"A couple of times I trained there," Ake said of his wing-back role. "[I've worked] more as a left centre-back, but in the last couple of days I've been training at left wing-back. It's a different position for me but I think it's good to play different positions. It was good to get experience there.
"It's a hard position. It's different for me but I enjoyed it a lot. There's a lot of up and down. You need a lot of energy but it's good to play. You have to get forward a lot -- if the ball is on the other side you're almost a winger, basically. It's kind of different but it's good to get used to it and hopefully I can keep improving a lot of things.
"I gained a lot of experience in the last two years, played a lot of games. I feel a bit more experienced -- maybe not too much, but more experienced than I was before."
Chelsea's mass loan system remains a controversial subject -- the club's official website lists 35 players currently at other sides, while Ola Aina and Charly Musonda could also leave Stamford Bridge before Tuesday's transfer deadline -- but Ake insists the opportunities he has been given elsewhere in the Premier League have aided his development.
"In the Premier League it's [physically] tough," he admitted. "When I went to Watford [last season] I was still maybe a boy, but I learned a lot that season and this season as well. Playing centre-back you have to win balls in the air, and I think I've learned.
"I think I was 19 when I went [on loan]. That's a good age to go and get experience and a lot of games. That was important for me, I needed it. You learn so much when you play week in and week out, and you come back a more complete player."