MX23RW : Friday, November 8 22:16:01| >> :60:118:118:

Thomas Tuchel: Letting Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Chelsea was 'impossible'

Thomas Tuchel: Letting Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Chelsea was 'impossible'
© Reuters
Versatile player was linked with a move away.

Thomas Tuchel insisted denying Callum Hudson-Odoi a loan switch to Borussia Dortmund proved a "very easy decision".

Bundesliga giants Dortmund had offered Hudson-Odoi the chance to feature in his favoured left wing role, but Chelsea rejected any move out of hand.

Blues boss Tuchel revealed the Stamford Bridge club could not allow the 20-year-old to leave, with the young England star's ability to feature at wing-back vital in west London.

Hudson-Odoi notched his 100th Chelsea appearance in Saturday's 3-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa, where he featured at right wing-back, left wing-back and also left wing.

Asked about keeping Hudson-Odoi in his squad, Tuchel said: "It was a very easy decision for me, we cannot let the player go who is in an 18, 19 man squad. Simply impossible.

"He is able to play as a right wing-back, left wing-back, he can play in these extra positions, he knows the group and we know him very well.

"For him personally it would maybe have been a very good opportunity but for us it was simply impossible."

Romelu Lukaku fired his first-ever Stamford Bridge goals in a stunning brace as Chelsea overwhelmed a manful Villa.

Mateo Kovacic teed up Lukaku's opener before dinking home a neat finish of his own.

Chelsea's three wins and a draw from their four matches has put them second in the Premier League, trailing leaders Manchester United only on goals scored.

Hudson-Odoi's versatility might be vital for Tuchel but the Chelsea boss is well aware the talented wide player craves a run in a more advanced role.

Chelsea's German manager praised Hudson-Odoi's level in training, then challenged the Wandsworth-born star to replicate that in match action.

"I see a stronger, stronger Callum every day in training, overcome the gap between training and playing," said Tuchel.

"And now he needs to show that in matches. If he gets minutes it's never a gift. Nobody gets gifts.

"I know it's not his favourite position but I think he can play this position and serve the team very well.

"But still he can do better, still he can be more aggressive, and that's what he does in training.

"He needs to overcome this gap between training and playing, to fight for his place in this team."

Villa have just one win from their four matches in the new campaign, but John McGinn believes Dean Smith's side can take encouragement from elements of their Stamford Bridge showing.

"It's a tough one, Chelsea are a tough team but the first-half I thought we were better," McGinn told Aston Villa's official club website.

"We made chances to score but didn't take them.

"We were brave in the way we played, second-half the mistake gave them a foothold and momentum.

"There's not many teams that will come and challenge Chelsea the way we did in the first-half, but the way we want to go and the places we want to go we want to come here and get at least a point.

"Overall disappointing but the signs are there that we are starting to play and create chances, which we weren't doing before tonight."

ID:463434:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5519:

Click here for more stories about Callum Hudson-Odoi

Click here for more stories about Chelsea

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring their first goal on September 11, 2021
Read Next:
Souness: 'Man United could live to regret Lukaku decision'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Bengals
34-35
Ravens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!