Callum Hudson-Odoi Set to Return for Chelsea Under-23s as Recovery Nears End

​Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is expected to feature for the club's Under-23 side against Brighton on Friday night as he steps up his recovery from an Achilles injury.

The teenager had finally made the breakthrough into the Blues' first team last season, only for the serious injury to halt his progression in April. 

However, the ​Daily Mail state Hudson-Odoi is expected to make his long-awaited return to competitive action on Friday. Manager Frank Lampard will almost certainly be keeping a close eye on the game, as he looks to bring Hudson-Odoi back into the first-team fold.

He has been training again for a number of weeks, but the meeting with ​Brighton's Under-23s will be the first real test for Hudson-Odoi.

Should he emerge unscathed, a swift promotion to the senior side could be on the cards, with ​Chelsea crying out for some attacking flair following their tumultuous start to the campaign.

The Blues have picked up five points from their first four games, but those matches were played without a number of injured stars. Alongside Hudson-Odoi, Chelsea have been without ​Ruben Loftus-Cheek, ​N'Golo Kante and ​Antonio Rudiger, whilst the highly rated Reece James has also been sidelined.

Rudiger has already featured for the Under-23s this season, and Hudson-Odoi is set to follow suit. Fans are hoping that the pair will be back in the first team soon, with the rest of the sidelined players close behind.

Once he makes his return, the attention on Hudson-Odoi will turn to his contract. The teenager is thought to be closing in on a fresh £180,000-a-week deal to finally bring an end to all the speculation about his future.

​Bayern Munich are believed to be especially keen on bringing Hudson-Odoi in on a free transfer, but news of a new contract would certainly bring an end to the ​Bundesliga champions' plans.