Chris Hughton has met with Callum Hudson-Odoi’s father in what is believed to be his first attempt to persuade the Chelsea star to play for his parents’ country, according to a report by Citi Sports.
Hughton, the former Brighton and Hove Albion manager, is the favourite to take over as Ghana national team coach after Milovan Rajevac was fired last week.
Rajevac was fired following Ghana’s elimination from the AFCON 2021 group stage.
Hughton arrived in Ghana on Friday, and it appears that the former Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United manager has already shifted into high gear in his efforts to entice the many foreign players of Ghanaian descent to play for the Black Stars.
He was seen conversing with Callum’s father, Bismark Odoi, at Accra’s Labadi Beach Hotel on Sunday afternoon.
Hudson-Odoi, 21, has only played three senior matches for England, but he is eligible for a nationality change because all three came before his 21st birthday and none were at a major tournament.
Hughton, whose father is Ghanaian, is thought to be most appealing because of his ability to entice Ghanaian players born abroad to represent the Black Stars, with Hudson-Odoi and Brighton defender Tariq Lamptey being the most promising prospects.
Hughton’s managerial career spans 20 years and includes promotion to the Premier League with two clubs, Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion.
His most recent position was at Nottingham Forest, where he led the club to safety in the 2020/2021 season before departing in September 2021, at the start of the 2021/2022 Championship season.
