Rob Green reveals Chelsea players' bafflement at Callum Hudson-Odoi's lack of playing time under Maurizio Sarri

Rob Green spent his last season as a professional as third-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea, whose thriving young prospects he was able to watch up close. 

However, despite Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham stealing most of the headlines this season, it's Callum Hudson-Odoi who Green singled out for the most praise on Radio 5 Live.

"He's a level above, he will be," Green said, before going on to indicate that Chelsea players were amazed he didn't get more opportunities to show his talent under Maurizio Sarri.

"We were in the dressing room last season and the players were saying, 'How is he not playing?'

"He's going out in training and some of the best defenders in the world, tearing them apart.

"He would be consistently the best trainer, to the point where the best players in the world – or some of – were standing there applauding what he was doing."

Despite Sarri winning the Europa League and guiding Chelsea to a third-place finish, he came under scrutiny throughout the season for his refusal to play Hudson-Odoi and often favouring Pedro or Willian. 

His stubbornness nearly backfired, with Hudson-Odoi coming close to signing for Bayern Munich in January. The Athleticreported in September that he had gone so far as to agree personal terms with the German giants. 

Chelsea fans will be glad he chose to remain at the club, with Frank Lampard now integrating him into his youthful revolution after a period out with injury.

Hudson-Odoi has played in each of Chelsea's last two games, picking up assists in both, and if Green's words are anything to go by there's still a lot more to come from him. 

NOW READ...

20 years on: When Chelsea ended treble-winning Manchester United's unbeaten run with a 5-0 drubbing

Hudson-Odoi can match Sterling and be the best - Lampard