Maurizio Sarri has insisted his cautious use of Callum Hudson-Odoi in the Premier League is for the teenager’s own good and the Italian head coach preached patience as England’s latest full international prepares to resume life on the Chelsea bench.

The winger had been a surprise call-up to Gareth Southgate’s senior squad from the under-21s, duly becoming his country’s youngest debutant in a competitive match against the Czech Republic before starting in Montenegro. Sarri did not see Hudson-Odoi’s display in Podgorica in its entirety, watching around 25 minutes of the game and observing he had struggled for the first 20 of those, while adding that the quality of opponent in Euro 2020 qualification is “really very low” and “not Premier League level”.

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He went on to imply the youngster, who has never started a top-flight game, remains behind Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian for a place on the wing at Cardiff on Sunday. “It is for his good, but also for my good,” said Sarri when asked about a player whose frustration at a perceived lack of game-time had prompted a formal transfer request in January. “He needs to improve more – I want him to improve more – and he has to stay with his feet on the floor.

“He has to work every day, and improve the left [foot], improve in the defensive phase, improve in the movement without the ball. I want him to improve because the potential is really, really very, very high. And so it’s right that he continues to improve. Otherwise we risk stopping him [realising his potential]. He is, in this moment, a very, very good player. But he has the possibility to become more. I want him to become more.”

Hudson-Odoi, whose contract expires in June 2020 with no further talks instigated or planned over improved terms, played 110 minutes for England over the international week, but has managed only 119 minutes in the Premier League this season. “I think the evolution is the right evolution,” added Sarri. “Probably, he will play 30-35 matches next season. And so I think that, with Callum, we are on the right path. We have to play eight matches in 28 days, and so I am sure that Callum will start in two or three matches.

“But Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup … for me, it’s the same. For me, there’s no difference. I’m really very confident in him. He’s ready. He needs to improve more because the potential is really very high and he can become one of the most important players in Europe. But I can play with only two wingers. In the squad we have Hazard, Willian, Pedro, so it’s not really very easy to start in every match here. Probably, in the near future, he will start in 75-80% of matches.”