Why £120k-a-week Chelsea star is training with the under-21s amid interest from Crystal Palace and Fulham

Chelsea and English forward Callum Hudson-Odoi is currently training with the under-21s, away from the first team as the Blues put the finishing touches to their first two weeks under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The 22-year-old is at a crossroads in his career and will now have to work on his fitness and possibly get a club where he can play regularly and get back to his best.

Callum, despite returning to Stamford Bridge earlier than most has spent his time away from the first team and has been linked with moves to Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest.

One of the reasons his season did not go as planned with Bayer Leverkusen is his fitness, and the Chelsea man has spent the last two weeks trying to get back to the optimum level.

Chelsea have also offered him the chance to at least reduce his mega £120k-a-week wages, which the club could easily pay off so he can join another club for free as they look to reduce the wage bill drastically. Similar offers have been taken up by Tiemoue Bakayoko and Baba Rahman.

Mauricio Pochettino has been keen to prune his squad, determined to build a healthy environment where athletes can get the best out of their daily routines. Players who do not want to be there have been told to stay away, or sold, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having their return date moved to give the club time to sort out their future.

Pochettino is famed for bringing the best out of young players with potential, and as things stand Callum is likely to be left behind to train with the under-21s as his future is being resolved.

Chelsea will depart for the United States next Monday where they are set to play across five cities and starting with a game against Wrexham.