Callum Hudson-Odoi needs Chelsea, Maurizio Sarri to buck trends
By George Perry
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s momentum carried over from the preseason friendly against Perth to a post-game rumour of a new contract. Hudson-Odoi will need both the club and Maurizio Sarri to act against type if he hopes for a regular spot with the first team.
Callum Hudson-Odoi was one of Chelsea’s standout players against Perth, notching the game’s only assist. Hudson-Odoi came off at halftime after making timely impressions on Maurizio Sarri given the uncertainty surrounding Eden Hazard and Willian. After the game, rumours of a new contract to go with a berth in the first team circulated around Twitter, capping off a day in the spotlight.
Hudson-Odoi made four appearances for 80 minutes last season under Antonio Conte. Despite the short playing time, Hudson-Odoi looked ready to be a regular in the 2018/19 squad for domestic cups, the Europa League and as an occasional substitute in the Premier League.
Even so, Hudson-Odoi must battle against his club’s and his coach’s histories if he hopes to avoid the loan army and stay with the senior players. Contrary to narrative, Antonio Conte was the strongest proponent of Chelsea’s youth in the Roman Abramovich era. Maurizio Sarri’s track record is more akin to the rest of his predecessors at Stamford Bridge.
The youth players Maurizio Sarri played at Empoli – many of whom followed him to Napoli – were almost all defenders and midfielders. Those players make up the core of the Sarri-centric transfer rumours this summer: Elsied Hysaj, Daniele Rugani, Piotr Zielinski. Sarri preferred older players throughout his starting XI’s, but his forwards were often among the oldest cadre.
A double exception is Simone Verdi. Verdi played over 4,000 minutes for Sarri during two seasons on loan at Empoli. Verdi was 20-21 years old at the time, making him by far the youngest forward in the best XI and one of the youngest players to see any significant playing time under Sarri. He was still three years older than Callum Hudson-Odoi currently is. Verdi has also not been in Chelsea’s rumour mill this summer, despite Chelsea’s pressing need for new wingers. But Verdi transferred to Sarri’s old club, Napoli, on July 1. Given Aurelio de Laurentiis’ new hostility towards Chelsea, Verdi will most certainly not be attending the Empoli-Napoli-Chelsea meetup.
Maurizio Sarri’s history with young players cuts both ways for Callum Hudson-Odoi. On the one hand, Sarri prefers experienced players, particularly among his forwards. On the other, his one previous young forward was a winger, like Hudson-Odoi. Sarri does not have a strong record with youth beyond his first two years at Empoli. But then he has never had access to an academy as high quality as Chelsea’s.
Antonio Conte bucked the trend at Chelsea for youth players. Necessity may force Sarri to do the same, and to break his own patterns in the process. If Chelsea do not buy a winger and if they lose Eden Hazard or Willian, Sarri may have little choice than to keep Hudson-Odoi and let him fight his way up the depth chart.
Next: Chelsea forfeit a player (Malcom), a profit (Willian) and self-respect (all)
Callum Hudson-Odoi started his preseason auspiciously. He is in as much control of his future as any 17-year old at Stamford Bridge ever can be. With more performances like the one in Perth, Maurizio Sarri may see him as his next Simone Verdi and keep him for more reasons than just necessity.