The highly-rated forward left Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis over the summer, as he joined Lyon, but he could return to England at some stage

Bertrand Traore left Chelsea as a frustrated figure but has refused to rule out a possible return to England at Manchester United.

The Burkina Faso international striker spent four years on the books at Stamford Bridge, having previously snubbed the option of heading for Old Trafford.

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He was, however, restricted to just 16 senior appearances for the Blues, with much of his experience collected during loan spells in the Netherlands at Vitesse and Ajax.

With his path continuing to be blocked, the 22-year-old opted to leave for Lyon on a permanent basis over the summer, but Traore admits he could grace the Premier League again at some stage.

He told Onze Mundial: “Manchester United? Why not? I will work hard and, if opportunities open, why not?”

Traore was handed his Chelsea debut by current United boss Jose Mourinho in September 2015, shortly after being granted a work permit to kick-start his career in England.

He faced fierce competition for places, though, and secured a €10 million switch to Lyon in the last transfer window.

A productive start to life in France has delivered six goals in 16 appearances, with Traore eager to prove to those he left behind in west London that he was deserving of more opportunities.

He added on his time at Chelsea: “I fought, I reached the first team. But, in Chelsea, for a player from the training centre, it’s almost impossible to impose yourself as a starter. And I wanted to be a starter. I’m proud of what I did there before I left.”

Traore previously told the Daily Mail on his decision to leave the Blues: “Going from Chelsea was the best decision for me. I am enjoying myself, as a young player you can only improve if you are playing every week.

“I enjoyed my time at Chelsea and, when I had opportunities to show what I could do on the pitch, I took them with both hands. But there weren’t any guarantees I would play.”