MusaThe Nottingham Forest winger leaves his club in the summer of 2023, ending a spell that began in Chelsea’s youth academy. With the Blues, Hudson-Odoi became a Premier League U18 champion and FA Youth Cup winner, before being part of the senior squad that won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup.
He scored eight goals in 35 appearances last season and in the 2024/25 season he scored two goals in 12 games.
Hudson-Odoi’s days at Cobham, however, remain a fond memory.
“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in the world and obviously the academy, the whole structure and the facilities there are top class,” he told Rising Ballers. “It’s incredible, so every time you go there and everybody sees it, they go ‘wow, that’s different’.
“In the academy you have, I don’t even know how many courts, 42 courts and it’s crazy, everybody thinks it’s an amazing facility.
“I think it helps when you see all the pitches and then you want to be on the pitch and play football. I think it helped me a lot because when I was growing up throughout the academy I was playing at Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea all the time. I think that makes you understand a lot about Chelsea.”
“I understand the whole culture and everything to do with the club,” he continued. “What it was like, what the managers are like, how the people there try to help you and develop you. I think that was important, the people there were very good, the managers were very good, the staff was very friendly to all the players, they wanted the best for everybody.
“And they didn’t do it for them, they did it for us, to develop us and get the best out of us. That made me very mature, it made me understand a lot about the club and about London itself.
“It’s hard when you’re trying to succeed and when you’re trying to be the best all the time, but when you have staff who can help you and encourage you all the time, it makes it a lot easier.”
Hudson-Odoi is expected to return to action when Nottingham Forest take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Musa
