'Crazy': Callum Hudson-Odoi says midfielder Chelsea released was just as talented as Reece James

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Callum Hudson-Odoi came through the Chelsea academy at a time when the west London club were brimming with talent.

Indeed, that crop of Chelsea youngsters from the mid-to-late 2010s was absolutely unreal.

Chelsea actually won the FA Youth Cup five years in a row during that time.

One player who was involved in that incredible run was Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Hudson-Odoi didn't quite make it as a star at Chelsea, but he's now playing some brilliant stuff for Nottingham Forest.

Hudson-Odoi has recently been linked to Tottenham.

Speaking on The Byline, Hudson-Odoi has been discussing his time in the Chelsea academy, and he gave an interesting answer when asked about the most talented players he'd worked with as a youngster at Chelsea.

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The most talented players Callum Hudson-Odoi played with in Chelsea's academy

Hudson-Odoi named four players as the best he's played with in the Chelsea academy.

Inevitably, the winger mentioned Mason Mount and Reece James.

Some believe James is good enough to play for Real Madrid when he's fit and firing, but, sadly, his fitness has failed him in recent years.

However, away from the superstar names, Hudson-Odoi also mentioned Charly Musonda and George McEachren as two of the best he'd played with at Chelsea.

"Who was the most talented player you played with in the academy? It doesn't have to be best, but just who had it?

"I'd say (Charly Musonda) (Colkett), for sure, George McEachren, then there are those obvious ones like Reece and Mason. It was crazy yeah," Hudson-Odoi said.

What happened to George McEachren and Charly Musonda?

Reece James and Mason Mount are still very much in the spotlight in the English top-flight as they play for two of the biggest clubs in England – Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.

However, Musonda and McEachren's careers have gone in different directions.

Musonda did actually play a handful of games for the Chelsea first-team, while McEachren never got a chance at Stamford Bridge.

Musonda is now actually a free agent after leaving Greek club, Anorthosis earlier this year, while McEachren is in the lower-leagues of English football.

Sometimes a player who looks talented as a youngster doesn't make it at the top level.

Paul Pogba said Ravel Morrison was the most talented player of his generation, but he never made it at the top-level, and it's a similar story for these two.

McEachren was eventually released by Chelsea in 2022 before making a move to Swindon and eventually joining Grimsby.

As Hudson-Odoi says, these two were very talented players as youngsters, but, sadly, they never quite followed up on that potential.