Frank
Lampard says he began working on resolving Callum Hudson-Odoi's future at
Chelsea "as soon as he got the job" at Stamford Bridge.
Hudson-Odoi signed a new five-year deal with Chelsea on Thursday, ending a
long-running saga which had previously looked as though it would end with
the 18-year-old leaving the club.
The England winger's previous deal was set to expire at the end of this
season, and he was heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich in January
amid discontent over a lack of playing time under previous head coach
Maurizio Sarri, who Lampard replaced in July.
"Pretty much as soon as I got the job I made contact with him to make him
aware that I want him to be part of the plan," Lampard said.
"He's a young lad who's come through the academy here, the club's worked
hard with him, he's worked hard to get in the first team and for me it just
felt like what everybody wanted.
"So then it was away from me slightly in terms of the club dealing with the
contract in itself, but I wanted to make it clear that I want him at the
club, because I believe in his talent."
Hudson-Odoi eventually got his chance in the first team during the second
half of last season, but his campaign was curtailed by an Achilles tendon
rupture suffered against Burnley in April, which has kept him out until now.
However, after playing for Chelsea's U23s against Brighton last week,
Hudson-Odoi is now on the verge of returning to first-team action.
While Sunday's clash with Premier League leaders Liverpool is expected to
come too soon, Lampard is expecting Hudson-Odoi to return with no shortage
of motivation, having seen fellow academy graduates Tammy Abraham, Mason
Mount and Fiyako Tomori star during the opening weeks of the season.
"I also know that now the five-year contract is signed, is when the hard
work really starts for him," Lampard said.
"He's got everything in front of him. We know the talent that he has. He's
shown in it on occasions in the first team when he's had his opportunity,
but I think there's a lot more, and it's pure hard work that will get him
there.
"Hopefully Callum can look at the other players around him, the younger
players, who are getting their opportunities, which are not just handed on a
plate, they're handed because they deserved them because the players have
worked so hard in pre-season.
"There's a nice thing for him to see and hopefully be hungry for and now
it's signed and sealed, we can put that to bed and get to work."
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