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For many, when Callum Hudson-Odoi was denied a move away from Chelsea towards the end of the summer transfer window, it was easy to be concerned.

It wasn't until after window was firmly shut that the young winger made his first Premier League start of the season in a win over Aston Villa. The 21-year-old, who garnered interest from Borussia Dortmund and Leicester City at the end of August, had to settle for an outing as a wing-back.

It was unsurprising since Thomas Tuchel opted to use Hudson-Odoi in the role during his very first match with the Blues, but it was no doubt a source of frustration for fans who had grown to love the player for his fearless dribbling.

Tuchel clearly regarded the winger as crucial to his squad however.

Speaking in September Tuchel said: "We have spoken. It was a very easy decision for me to make on the last day of the transfer period. We cannot let a player [leave] who is in the 18/19 man squad. He is able to play as a right wing-back, a left wing-back in the two ten positions. He knows the group, we know him very well. There was no chance to say yes on the last day.

"For him personally it may have been a good opportunity but for us and our targets that we want to achieve, it was simply impossible. It was an easy one for me actually.

"Callum has to overcome the gap between training and games. I see a stronger Callum every day in training and he needs to overcome this gap