SARRI: I WON’T THROW IN KIDS
Results come first for Chelsea boss
MAURIZIO SARRI admits he must prioritise winning matches ahead of developing young talent as Chelsea face a battle to keep hot prospect Callum Hudson-Odoi at Stamford Bridge.
The winger, 18, continues to stall over a five-year contract because he wants more first-team opportunities. Bayern Munich have had an opening offer rejected while Barcelona and RB Leipzig are monitoring the player.
The youngster’s future may be further undermined as Chelsea are in pole position to sign midfielder Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund next summer.
Hudson-Odoi, who won the Under 17 World Cup with England in 2017, has been frustrated by a lack of chances under manager Sarri. He has played only 42 minutes in the Premier League this season, but has featured in the Europa League.
In the Boxing Day win at Watford, Hudson-Odoi replaced Pedro after 43 minutes but was substituted himself in the 85th minute. The decision brought jeers from Chelsea fans, but it later emerged he was injured. He trained yesterday but is doubtful for the Southampton game tonight.
Sarri said: ‘I can understand that a fan loves young players from the academy. I can understand very well but in the long run I have to win matches and the fans want me to win matches and also the club.’
Asked if Hudson-Odoi is part of a generation of young players who are becoming impatient, Sarri said: ‘I don’t know. Also the fans sometimes, also the club sometimes and so I am in the middle. I have to win.
‘It’s not easy at this level to take young players from the academy, not only here, everywhere in Europe. Sometimes there is one, two young players in Barcelona, from the academy, sometimes one, two Real Madrid, zero in Juventus, zero in Paris Saint-Germain. We are lucky because we have Ethan Ampadu, we have Andreas Christensen, we have Odoi.’
Sarri believes Hudson-Odoi can become one of the continent’s top players. ‘With the ball, he is a very good player,’ he said. ‘He has to improve in his movement without the ball. As a winger, he has to improve in the defensive phase but he has the potential to become a very important player, not only for English football but for European football.’
Sarri, meanwhile, ruled out recalling strikers Michy Batshuayi or Tammy Abraham from loan spells to bolster his side’s attack. Batshuayi is enduring a miserable time at Valencia but Abraham has excelled by scoring 16 goals for Aston Villa in the Championship.
Sarri said: ‘I have Eden Hazard in this position. We have Alvaro Morata, so I think that at the moment I don’t need another striker. Maybe another winger, because now we are in trouble with the injuries of Pedro, Odoi, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, so I have no option for wingers.’