Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, as he looks to rebuild his career in England.
Steve Cooper must add firepower to his squad this summer should they wish to remain in the Premier League, after securing safety in the penultimate game of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Reds have been linked to an array of talent ahead of the new term, as the City Ground eyes star names to add to their promising squad that sit on the fence between the top and second division.
After scoring just 38 goals in 38 games, Cooper must install a significant threat to his attack as Forest bid to improve in the final third, which is something Cooper could achieve in signing Hudson-Odoi.
As reported by a journalist associated with Football Transfers, Forest are among the ‘favourites’ to sign the 22-year-old, who according to the Guardian could leave Chelsea for a fee of £15m.
AC Milan have also been named as a club that could potentially acquire the Chelsea academy graduate, in a move that could see him follow the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Milan.
What could Callum Hudson-Odoi offer to Nottingham Forest?
After playing for the Blues since U8s level, the Englishman could call it quits from his home surroundings as his contract nears its 2024 expiry date.
The tricky winger has returned to the Blues after an underwhelming season-long loan at Bayer Leverkusen, in which he scored just once in 21 appearances in all competitions for Die Werkself.
A number of years tainted by injury have seen the Londoner fall down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, after bursting onto the scene in the 2019/20 campaign, in which he registered one goal and five assists in 22 Premier League appearances for Chelsea.
Despite enduring a difficult period in his budding career, the Champions League winner could rejuvenate his past form in a new environment, and could flourish in Coopers’ set-up at the City Ground.
The 22-year-old could follow the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White in opting for change to become a firm starter in the top division, in a move that could be successful for the club and player.
Hailed as “frightening” by Scouted Football, Hudson-Odoi could add a threat from the wing to Forest’s game plan. Indeed, he represents a player particularly well suited to featuring alongside the talent of Gibbs-White.
The former Wolves midfielder has lit up the City Ground after signing from Molineux last summer, in a campaign that saw him voted as the BBC’s pick for Forest Player of the Season.
As per FBref, the playmaker averaged an impressive 1.91 key passes and 2.29 passes into the final third per 90 in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, providing chances all over the pitch for his teammates.
Cooper could further the exploits of his star man by signing Hudson-Odoi, who flexes strengths in the final third that suggest he could be the perfect partner for the 23-year-old ace.
Despite not being at his most dangerous, the winger ranked in the top 13% of those in his position in Europe over the past year in terms of progressive carries, averaging 4.71 per 90 as well as 2.02 successful take-ons, via FBref.
The Englishman’s threat could be integral to adding a new-found fear factor to Cooper’s XI, in a talent that could be dispatched frequently by the likes of Gibbs-White in the bid to take Forest higher up the table.