‘Crazy day’ for Hudson-odoi as teenager receives shock call-up
● Southgate turns to Chelsea winger who has yet to line up for a Premier League match
Highly-rated Chelsea teenager Callum Hudson- Odoi has been handed his first England call-up.
A member of the side that won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, the 18- year-old has been subject of sustained interest from Bayern Munich having made his first-team breakthrough at Stamford Bridge this season.
Hudson-odoi has yet to start a Premier League match for Chelsea but Gareth Southgate has promoted the talented winger to the senior squad after Manchester Uni ted’ s Luke Shaw became the fourth player to withdraw through injury.
It has been a whirlwind day for the teenager, who had been in Bristol preparing for his first taste of international Under-21 football with Aidy Boothroyd’s side when the call came.
Hudson-odoi had barely finished his lunch with the U21s before heading up to St George’s Park to join the senior team for the Euro 2020 double - header against the Czech Republic and Montenegro.
“It’ s been a crazy day but getting my first[ senior] international call-up is an amazing feeling,” the 18-yearold said.
“Today has been a very long day for me because I had to travel to Bristol first for the U 21 sand then getting told that I have to come over here to St George’s Park.
“It’s been a crazy experience but I’m delighted to get the call and it’s a nice feeling to be here as well.
“I thought the manager was jo king. I was shocked and then when I heard that I actually had to go over, I couldn’t believe it. I was delighted.
“It’ s a dream come true. Now I’ve got to work hard, enjoy ever y moment and keep working to just hopefully make an impact when I get the opportunity.
“Everybody here is very humble and they’re very nice. They make sure you’ re comfortable. No one has an ego here so hopefully I get to know more of the boys here.”
Hudson- Odoi had already been in the news on Monday after Chelsea confirmed they had lodged a formal complaint with Uefa over racist abuse aimed at the player during the closing stages of the 5- 0 Europa League win away to Dynamo Kiev last week.
The 18- year-old scored in the Ukrainian capital and will become the youngest Chelsea player in history to play for England if he makes his debut this month. Hudson- Odoi is the second new addition to the squad after in-form Southampton midfielder James Ward-P row se, pictured, linked up with Southgate’s party earlier in the day.
There was some surprise about his omission from the 25- man squad named last week and the manager had no hesitation in turning to his former Under-21 captain after Fabian Delph, John Stones and Rub en Loftus- Cheek pulled out of the squad.
Delph was replaced less than an hour into Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final win at Swansea, which team-mate Stones missed with a groin injury.
Loftus- Cheek came on as a second-half substitute as Chelsea lost to Everton on Sunday and has now been replaced by former England Under-21 team-mate Ward-P row se, who has flourished under Saints boss Ralph Has enhuttl, who has helped add aggression and goals to the midfielder’s game.
Ward-prowse, 24, has scored six goals since the turn of the year, including stunning freekicks in Southampton’ s last two matches, and was in such impressive form that S outhgate was quizzed about why he had overlooked him last week.
“We love Pr ow sey ,” said Southgate. “I’ve been accused of being a father of Prowsey over the years!
“This most recent spell is his best spell since we capped him before. He is, I would say, a world-class deliverer of set-plays.
“But he’s only recently got back into the team at Southampton. I think we’ ve got some [good] midfield players and it isn’t a straightforward selection.”
MOTIVATED
“It’s a dream come true. Now I’ve got to work hard, enjoy every moment and keep working to hopefully make an impact”
CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI