One of the bright lights from Chelsea’s 2018-2019 Premier League season could just be a few weeks away from making a long-awaited return.
After returning to full training last month, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, along with defender Reece James are expected to feature for Chelsea’s Under-23 squad in its PL2 match on Friday against Brighton and Hove Albion U-23s at Stamford Bridge.
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It’s been an incredibly fast recovery for the still 18-year-old Hudson-Odoi after he tore his Achilles tendon on April 22 in a draw with Burnley. In many cases, Achilles tendon injuries can keep a player out as long as 12 months or longer, but Hudson-Odoi appears primed to take the field again just five months on from the injury.
Hudson-Odoi has been posting photos of his recovery, including the one above featuring his manager, Frank Lampard, taking part in a drill on the practice field.
The big question now is how Hudson-Odoi recovers mentally, and whether he can still display his blistering, game-changing pace. It’s always difficult for an athlete to trust their body the next time there’s a sprint to the ball, or taking a quick turn and a change of pace to get off a defender.
However, if he’s fully fit and still has that impressive speed, he’ll certainly get some minutes for Chelsea this season. With not a ton expected, there’s plenty of time to ease him back and get him ready for the 2020-2021 campaign.