Callum Hudson-Odoi to Stay With Chelsea First Team After Stunning Display Against Arsenal

Maurizio Sarri confirmed that Callum Hudson-Odoi will be part of his first team squad for the coming Premier League season, after the young Englishman turned in another hugely impressive pre-season performance on Wednesday.

Hudson-Odoi was undoubtedly the man of the match as Chelsea lost on penalties to Arsenal in Dublin. He tormented the Arsenal defence during the first half, winning a penalty which Alvaro Morata missed.

Chelsea fans enthused about the youngster on Twitter, and Sarri promised them that the 17-year-old would be part of his plans next season.

"He will stay with us for all the season," Sarri told Chelsea's official website. "He is a very young player. We have to wait. In the future he will be a very, very strong player."

Were it not for more profligate finishing from Morata, Chelsea would have been out of sight by half time, thanks largely to the commanding display of Hudson-Odoi.

Morata came in for a lot of criticism on social media, but Sarri was unconcerned about the Spaniard's poor form, attributing it to the recent birth of his twins.

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"I don’t know if he is not confident. Maybe he was tired," said the Italian. "The last three days for him were very intense, so maybe this match he was a bit tired. I am not worried about Morata."

Chelsea held the lead in the match until the last minute of injury time, when a well-worked Arsenal corner was tapped in by Alexandre Lacazette. Ruben Loftus-Cheek missed the decisive penalty in the shoot-out as Arsenal took the two points.

Sarri confirmed that the team which started against Arsenal would be very similar to the one that starts in the Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday.