Matteo Darmian determined to fight for first-team opportunities at Manchester United

Matteo Darmian insists he remains happy at Manchester United despite his lack of game time this season, although he won't rule out a return to Italy later in his career.

Darmian filled in at both right and left-back under Jose Mourinho last season but was never truly the manager's first-choice option in either role. This term, Antonio Valencia and Daley Blind – and more recently, Ashley Young – have been Mourinho's preferred first-team options in those positions, with the Italy international starting just one Premier League match – the 2-2 draw with Stoke City in September.

The former Torino has been a regular on the United bench, making the match day squad in eight of the club's ten matches across all competitions this season. And while he admits he would like to be starting more games, he is determined to keep working to ensure they come at Old Trafford rather than elsewhere.

"I made a choice [to join Manchester United] and I don't regret it," Darmian said ahead of Italy's 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Albania.

"Of course it is normal that any player wants to play as much as possible. I work hard every week and I'll keep doing it. I don't always watch Italian football and I don't know what know what will happen in the future, maybe there will be a chance to come back one day."

Darmian's sole starting appearance in the league this season came on the left while he started United's Carabao Cup third round win over Burton Albion on the right. The 27-year-old is likely to get chances in both full-back roles over the course of the season with Mourinho light in terms of cover on both sides of his defence.

Valencia remains United's sole option on the right with Luke Shaw seemingly some way off being in contention to reclaim his role on the left. While Young has also offered his manager cover this term, Darmian's versatility proved essential last season when injuries began to rack up in the final months of United's campaign.