Callum Hudson-Odoi has opened up on his time at Chelsea, explaining that the club’s youth system helped him to mature and develop.

The Nottingham Forest winger left his boyhood club in the summer of 2023, bringing an end to his a spell that started in Chelsea’s youth academy. While with the Blues, Hudson-Odoi became an U18 Premier League champion as well as a back-to-back FA Youth Cup winner, before forming part of a senior side that claimed the Champions League, Europa League and the FA Cup.

His eventual permanent move to Forest saw him net eight goals in 35 appearances last season, while he’s returned two strikes in 12 games so far during 2024/25.

Hudson-Odoi’s days at Cobham, however, remain a happy memory.

“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world and obviously the whole academy, whole structure and facilities there are top,” he told Rising Ballers. “It’s amazing, so whenever you go there and everybody sees it they’re like, ‘wow this is different’.

“You have like, I don’t even know how many pitches, 42 pitches in the academy and it’s crazy, everyone’s thinking it’s an amazing facility. 

“I think that’s what helps you, you see all the pitches and then you want to just be on the pitch playing football. I think that helped me a lot because growing up throughout the whole academy, I’ve been at Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea throughout everything. I think that makes you understand a lot about Chelsea.”

“I understand the whole culture of everything about the club,” he continued. “How it was, how the managers are, how the people there try and help you and develop you. I think that was important, the people there were very good, the managers there were very good, the staff were very kind to all the players, they wanted the best for everybody.

“And they weren’t doing it for them, they’re doing it for us to develop us and get the best out of us. It matured me a lot, it made me understand a lot about the club and about London itself. 

“It’s difficult trying to make it and trying to be the best you can be at all times, but when you’ve got staff members that can help and push you all the way, things become much easier.”

Hudson-Odoi is expected to return to action when Nottingham Forest take on Arsenal on at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

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