Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed what Kai Havertz said to him before his loan move to Bayer Leverkusen.
The 21-year-old will spend the season on loan at the Bundesliga side.
It is his first spell away from the club, having broken into the first team in the 2018/19 season and remaining in the squad ever since.
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He joins the club that Havertz played for before his move to Chelsea in 2021.
The German spent four years in the Leverkusen senior side, before he signed for the Blues in what was then their club record signing.
Having played for the side for such a long time, he was able to let his teammate know what it is like at the club.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hudson-Odoi said: "Kai had only great things to say.
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“He said, 'I developed really well here, they pushed me on, they made me a better player, who I am today'.
“He was urging me to come: 'Go and develop yourself, go and be you, be free. We know what you can do. Just go and show it consistently'.”
Hudson-Odoi’s loan will see him stay at Leverkusen until the end of the season, but Chelsea have the ability to recall him in January should they wish to do so.
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The German side do not have the option to buy him permanently next summer.
Despite him not being included in the Chelsea squad this season, the winger has revealed what co-owner Todd Boehly said to him about his move.
“It's definitely different. When a club is trying to get a player (on loan), they always want that option to buy at the end of the season.
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“Todd was saying: 'Listen, we want you back here.'
“You're still on the radar of being wanted by the club. The way he's trying to set it up, there are a lot of young players he's trying to buy for the next few years.
“It shows he wants to integrate the players into the team and help them develop.”
Hudson-Odoi has played five games so far this season for Leverkusen, and has been able to pick up an assist during that time.
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Three of his appearances have come in the Bundesliga and the other two have been in the Champions League, with their German outfit sitting second in their group that also features Club Brugge, Atletico Madrid and FC Porto.
Topics: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Kai Havertz, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen
Robert Calcutt