Ghana target Hudson-Odoi denies England snub

Chelsea FC winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has refuted claims that he has snubbed England.

Earlier this seaosn, he preferred to train with Chelsea rather than play for England Under 21s. He was accused of picking and choosing his games for his country and he could yet opt to play for Ghana, as all his senior caps have come before the age of 21.

He insists that is not the plan, that missing the Under 21s was all about getting back into manager Thomas Tuchel’s good books, the Chelsea first XI and proving himself ready for Gareth Southgate’s senior squad.

“I didn’t not go to England because I thought I was bigger than them or I was being big time or anything like that,” he told the Daily Mail.

“It was just me trying to get back into the team in Chelsea and focusing on club football as much as possible: to be a regular player, an option to always play and be involved.

“People thought: ‘Oh, he’s being big time or arrogant’. Or he’s being somebody he shouldn’t be. I’m not that person at all.

“I’m not big time. I’m not cocky. I’m very humble. I’m very relaxed. I was always thinking to myself: ‘What’s best for me in this moment’?

“For me, it was more of a fact that I wanted to stay back and try to get into the team and work as much as possible and show the manager what I’m capable of.

“I was like: ‘Sit back, don’t make a scene, don’t make any problems with England’. I’m good with all the coaches there. I have no problems with any of them. If it [an Under 21 call-up] came again, who knows?”