Wednesday 2 January 2019 15:00, UK
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has hinted he wants to keep young winger Callum Hudson-Odoi at the club and develop him.
Hudson-Odoi has been the subject of several bids from Bayern Munich this week - all of which were rejected - with the Blues valuing him at least at £30m.
Sarri also suggested he may look to sign another winger in the January window due to injuries to Hudson-Odoi, Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with new £57.6m signing Christian Pulisic not joining the squad until the summer.
And he is not looking to bring in another centre-forward, nor recall either Michy Batshuayi from Valencia nor Tammy Abraham from Aston Villa.
"I am not in charge of the market so I only want to speak to Odoi about (performances) on the pitch," the Italian said. "He is a very good player, with the potential to become a great player. Now he has to improve.
"With the ball he is very good. I think he has to improve his movement without the ball, and improve, as a winger, in the defensive phase. But he has the potential to be become a very important player, not only for English football but for European football.
"I don't think (I will recall a striker), because I have the option with Eden Hazard in this position, and I have Alvaro Morata. Hazard can play very well in this position, as we have seen in the last two or three matches.
"At the moment I don't need another striker - maybe another winger, because now we are in trouble with the injuries to Pedro, Odoi, Loftus-Cheek. I have the option - and what an option - for the striker. But at the moment I have no option for the wingers."
Whether Hudson-Odoi is fit to face Southampton on Wednesday remains to be seen.
The ankle injury to Olivier Giroud means Alvaro Morata is expected to start up front against Ralph Hasenhuttl's side.
Eden Hazard could revert to the role he played for four successive Premier League games prior to the win against Crystal Palace.
However, injuries to Pedro [hamstring], Ruben Loftus-Cheek [back] and Hudson-Odoi mean he may play in his preferred position on the left.
Midfielder Cesc Fabregas also missed the win at Palace with a neck injury.
