CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI has revealed that one chat with Frank Lampard was all it took for him to end exit talk at Chelsea and commit to a new long-term contract.
Speculation regarding the promising winger’s future raged for some time before an extension at Stamford Bridge was agreed.
German giants Bayern Munich were leading the chase for the 19-year-old forward, with the Bundesliga champions hoping to take advantage of the youngster’s lack of game time in England.
Hudson-Odoi was, however, able to earn favour under Maurizio Sarri and is back in contention after shaking off an Achilles injury and seeing Lampard take the reins.
A Blues legend played a major role in convincing him to stay put, with the decision quickly taken to shun interest from Bayern and any other suitors.
Asked how many conversations he had with a new boss before signing a five-year deal in September, Hudson-Odoi told reporters: “One.
“I can’t say exactly what he said but he just said he believes in me, he wants me to work hard and if I believe in myself then he believes in me and things will go well for me at this club.
“He wants me to play for him. They were encouraging signs for me that you want to hear from a manager, that he believes in you and he has faith in you, that you can become a good player and achieve a lot of stuff at the club.
“I was excited. It was exciting times that a new manager was coming in and also you know that he will play at least some of the youth boys as well.
“So it’s good to know that you are going to play with some of the players from before.
“I said from the start that I made the right decision to stay at Chelsea. I’ve been there all my life. I’ve loved the club from day one.”
Hudson-Odoi has taken in 11 appearances for Chelsea this season, helping them to enjoy productive runs in the Premier League and Champions League.
He admits a new coaching regime have made an impressive impact, with Lampard showing that he can be a top boss by being both a friend and strict taskmaster to those at his disposal.
“To be fair, we have a couple of fines where it’s pretty strict and we have to stick by it,” Hudson-Odoi added.
“But even if there weren’t fines, we would still be on point. All of us are very on time with everything that we do.
“We’re very positive about everything we do. If there is a fine, we will pay it.
“For the fines, we don’t really look into it because we are always on time for what we do so it’s okay. It’s there but we’re all good about it.
“He is hard on me but it’s in a good way because he wants me to improve and keep getting better.
“When the manager is telling me stuff, I always want to listen and improve my game because I’m not there yet. I know I can always get better and keep getting better.”
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