Aston Villa’s chances of landing Callum Hudson-Odoi surely boosted after Maurizio Sarri’s comments

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Aston Villa are said to be keen on signing Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea in January.

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri’s comments to Football.London about Callum Hudson-Odoi must have alerted Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, if he is still interested.

The Birmingham Mail claim that Villa are set to make a move for Hudson-Odoi in the January transfer window.

And Sarri’s latest update on the winger suggests that he is struggling to find a way to get him game time.

He said: “He has to improve. He has to improve a lot. First of all, the defensive phase. He has to work. He has to improve on the offensive phase – he’s very good one against one, but he has to learn to move without the ball. He is potentially a very good player, and now he has to study and improve and work.

“But I think that’s really very normal. He’s 18, so that’s normal. I want to find space for him. It’s not really very easy because, at the moment, we have 28 players so, for me, it’s not easy.”

The comments may offer Villa hope that a loan move would appeal to Chelsea in the new year.

Hudson-Odoi looks ready to play first-team football now, after shining over pre-season.

And his development would surely be better served by spending time at Villa and playing regularly, rather than continuing to feature for Chelsea’s youth sides.

Villa already have a host of attacking options, but Hudson-Odoi’s arrival would make them an even great threat.

And Smith must have hope that a deal is possible, after Sarri’s latest comments.