Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi will switch nationality to Ghana if they qualify for the World Cup

Callum Hudson-Odoi will switch his international allegiance to Ghana if the west African country can qualify the World Cup later this year.

The Chelsea star has been capped three times for the Three Lions, playing in the Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro in 2019.

The winger has played for numerous England age-group teams, but LondonWorld understands he has told his close circle that he wants to be ready to play for the Black Stars at the World Cup later this year.

Hudson-Odoi would be able to switch allegiance to his parents’ country of Ghana, as his competitive appearances for England were before the age of 21.

But he would not be able to play for the Black Stars until November at the earliest, as Fifa rules stipulate there must be a three-year gap after the player’s final senior appearance before they can register for a new international .

Other stars such as Wilfried Zaha and Ademola Lookman have changed national sides from England to Ivory Coast and Nigeria respectively.

When asked about the possibility, the Wandsworth-born winger said he was waiting and weighing up options.

The 21-year-old told the Evening Standard: “I don’t know. At the end of the day, we will wait until that time comes.”

Last November, he turned down a call up to the England U21 team and said he wanted to focus on his club career.

In the last eight months, Hudson-Odoi has visited Ghana twice, the most he has visited any country on holidays in the last six years.

He also met the Ghanaian president on his first visit, and is frequently seen with celebrities and musicians from Ghana on social media.

This has stoked the flames amongst Ghanaian football fans that he is slowly trying to integrate himself into the country’s culture.

When the winger first came through he was tipped to be an England star, but a combination of injuries and drop in form has seen youngsters like Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho all overtake him.

He missed out on the England squad that made it to the Euros final at Wembley, which would have hurt.

LondonWorld understands that Hudson-Odoi will not want to be a spectator at this year’s World Cup, and will give an all clear to switch his nationality if Ghana can beat Nigeria in the play-off and secure a ticket to Qatar.

Ghana have had players like Kevin Prince Boateng, who was born in Germany but chose to play for the Black Stars, and ended up having a brilliant World Cup tournament in 2010 that helped him get a move to AC Milan.

Ex-Arsenal man Quincy Owusu Abeyie, born in Holland, also chose to represent the west African country, after it became clear that he wasn’t going to crack the Dutch team despite playing at Arsenal at that time.

West Ham star Michail Antonio is now turning out for Jamaica, after years of waiting for England.

Hudson-Odoi is only 21 and he has taken time to have a proper think about his future, but playing at the World Cup could be too tempting an opportunity to turn down.

He knows he has a better chance of playing there if Ghana qualify, than waiting for Gareth Southgate.