The calls for Callum Hudson-Odoi to finally start a game in the Premier League for Chelsea have only become louder after his impressive display for England.
Hudson-Odoi was brought in by Gareth Southgate for the two European Championship qualifiers against Czech Republic and Montenegro, with the 18-year-old starting the latter on Monday. This came despite Hudson-Odoi failing to do the same for Maurizio Sarri in the Premier League.
Whilst the teenager’s competition includes the likes of starman Eden Hazard and former Barcelona player Pedro, many fans and pundits have questioned why Hudson-Odoi still hasn’t managed to get a chance even just for a few games from the start.
Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been the latest to implore Sarri to do more in helping Hudson-Odoi develop. Hasselbaink’s issue is that besides Hazard, there isn’t another player who deserves to start regularly.
Whilst Sarri might claim that Hudson-Odoi is not ready yet, Hasselbaink is firm of the belief that there isn’t enough quality at Chelsea to keep the teenager out of the starting line-up anymore.
“Hudson-Odoi should be given a chance because the others in his position are not really playing well at this moment,” Hasselbaink told the BBC. “The only one that is really producing his best – a seven or eight or sometimes a nine – is (Eden) Hazard.
“It might be that he (CHO) lifts the team in a different way and gives them a different dimension. Chelsea should bring more youngsters through. I would say Hudson-Odoi deserves a chance.”
Essentially, Hasselbaink’s view is that if you’re good enough, you’re ready. Hudson-Odoi is certainly good enough.