Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has singled out Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi as two of the club’s youngsters who are ready to be in the first-team on a regular basis.
This will excite Blues supporters amid ongoing transfer speculation involving Hudson-Odoi in particular, with the 18-year-old recently linked with a possible transfer to Bayern Munich.
Sarri, however, has essentially advised the teenage forward to stay at Stamford Bridge, saying he thinks he’s ready for Premier League football, following some impressive recent showings in the CFC first-team in cup competitions and the Europa League.
Ampadu’s name was also mentioned as someone to replace Gary Cahill in defence, despite him having not previously seen much playing time with the west London club.
Chelsea fans will no doubt be thrilled to hear this news as it’s not often they see their young players come through.
Exciting talents like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Mohamed Salah are among recent examples to leave in their youth before going on to become top performers for their Premier League rivals, and the club could certainly do with avoiding that again.
See below for Sarri’s quotes in his press conference today, via Goal’s Nizaar Kinsella:
Sarri says Ampadu will replace Cahill, if he leaves Chelsea ?: "His mind is not completely involved in our situation. We have to wait. For Cahill, the situation is different. We have Ampadu so we don't need a replacement." #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 7, 2019
Sarri on Hudson-Odoi?: "For me, he is an important player." #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 7, 2019
Sarri on Hudson-Odoi playing in the Premier League: "I think so, he is ready I think. We have important players in the same position, you want Willian or Pedro on the bench? He is ready" #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 7, 2019
Sarri was also asked specifically about Hudson-Odoi going to Bayern, to which ESPN’s Liam Twomey quotes him as responding:
Sarri says he doesn't think joining Bayern would be good for Hudson-Odoi: "He's an English player, he is very young & he has a very great future here, with the national team & with Chelsea" #cfc
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) January 7, 2019