It has probably gone under the radar that Thomas Tuchel effectively ruled Callum Hudson-Odoi out for the season before Leicester.
"He dropped out of the squad from one day to the other, more or less." Tuchel explained on Wednesday. "Still, in individual training, progressing but not in team training. He will come early in pre-season like Chilwell to start a programme to be back on July 2 with team training."
Being grouped in with Ben Chilwell, who has been out with an ACL injury since November, was a disheartening endpoint to a season that at times promised soo much for the winger. In the cold in the opening weeks with rumours of a loan away, to then being thrust into the first-team in his favoured left-wing role.
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Suffering from an Achilles tendon problem since February, Hudson-Odoi's last Premier League involvement came in late January's 2-0 win over Spurs, a game he started on the left of Tuchel's attack and provided an assist for Hakim Ziyech's opener.
His most significant involvement since was the assist for Romelu Lukaku's opening goal in the FIFA Club World Cup final against Palmeiras, but that act feels a very long time ago now in the world of Chelsea.
Whilst the club has been thrown into chaos with the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich and the imminent takeover by a group led by Todd Boehly, nearly every player's future has been questioned in some form, or simply around the nature of the club's competitiveness post-Abramovich.
But even within that uncertainty, Hudson-Odoi enters this summer with a familiar question. Although 2021/22 did provide him more minutes than last season, a run of consecutive starts in his favoured role and some highs, the extended injury concern has significantly halted any momentum built up.
Again, the assessment on Hudson-Odoi feels incomplete, as it has done over recent years due to injuries or lack of consistent game time. The telling difference this summer comes over his contract. With two years left, this creates a crossroad for Chelsea and Hudson-Odoi, one that has felt increasingly inevitable.
Hudson-Odoi is valued by the CIES Football Observatory between £30million-£40million, much lower than the reported £70million bid Bayern Munich made in 2020.
Tying this up with a player in the same position, Christian Pulisic, both face similar questions over their future and quality. Pulisic has remained fit since November, a good run by the American's standards given his injury record, but still has struggled to recreate the outstanding form seen under Frank Lampard at the end of the 2019/20 season.
The fact Chelsea have two wingers, both at an age requiring consistent minutes to develop has probably led us to this situation where the club has to decide who to commit to. Given that Pulisic was the only player named in the document handed to prospective owners over recent months indicates the marketing potential in the USA.
An opportunity Chelsea will hope to capitalise on with their pre-season tour of the States this summer, the first time Pulisic will return to his country with Chelsea. But Hudson-Odoi, who has been courted by Bayern Munich, still holds high potential after being a standout in the academy.
Sources indicate part of Chelsea's new ownership will look to maximise revenue, some of that will likely rely on player sales and both wingers could attract decent fees this summer should the club feel this is a time to part ways.
But selling either could prompt another sorry story of the Blues letting a transformative talent leave too soon, only to go on and fulfil his potential with a rival. Tough decisions have to be made this summer and the question mark looming over Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic's might not last much longer.
