Crystal Palace is closely monitoring the future of Callum Hudson-Odoi at Chelsea, as the young forward awaits assessment from new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino before any decisions are made.
However, they face competition from Nottingham Forest, led by manager Steve Cooper, who has reached out to the player’s representatives to express interest in the event of an opportunity arising.
Hudson-Odoi, who was once highly regarded and impressed in Chelsea’s first team, endured a difficult loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen and has returned to Chelsea in hopes of revitalizing his career.
Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper previously worked with Hudson-Odoi during his tenure as England’s under-17 manager. Cooper’s reputation for nurturing young talent suggests that a season of regular playing time in the Premier League under a familiar manager could greatly benefit Hudson-Odoi.
Despite his limited appearances for Leverkusen, there is still evident talent for a manager to develop, and Crystal Palace, known for their good relationship with Chelsea, could make a move for him if he is deemed surplus to requirements.
Living in London presents an appealing opportunity for footballers, and the recent successes of players like Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in south London could tilt the scales in favor of Crystal Palace when Hudson-Odoi considers his options between the Eagles and Nottingham Forest.
Crystal Palace has consistently shown strong stability and is set to play in their 11th consecutive Premier League season, finishing comfortably in 11th place in the league table, one position above Chelsea for the first time in recent history.