These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Hudson-Odoi shortlisted for award

The Mirror reports Callum Hudson-Odoi is one of seven Premier League players on the final shortlist for this year’s Golden Boy award.

The Chelsea winger missed out on the final shortlist last year but he remains in contention this time around for the prestigious award which is organised by Tuttosport and presented to the best top-flight players aged 21 or under in Europe.

He is joined on the list of 40 players by Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Liverpool’s Neco Williams, Phil Foden of Manchester City and Mason Greenwood of Manchester United.

Two other players who recently joined Premier League clubs – Fabio Silva, who joined Wolves from Porto, and Ferran Torres, who was signed by Manchester City from Valencia – also made the shortlist.

England winger Jadon Sancho and his Borussia Dortmund team-mate Erling Haaland are tipped as the favourites to win this year’s award.

The award has previously been presented to Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and 2019 winner Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid.

Mason Mount and new Chelsea signing Kai Havertz both made the final shortlist last year.

Struber looks forward to Blues cup tie

Barnsley head coach Gerhard Struber has told the Yorkshire Post his team’s upcoming Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea will be a good opportunity for his players to show what they can do.

While the Championship side won 2-0 at Middlesbrough on Tuesday to set up an enticing third-round visit to Stamford Bridge next Wednesday, Struber wants his team to avoid losing their focus in the league after they narrowly avoided relegation to League One last season.

‘It is a bonus game and not more,’ said the Austrian. ‘Reading (on Saturday) is very important for everyone and then we have a focus and match plan against Chelsea.

‘I am very happy for my team we can play at Chelsea; it is a very big chance to show what we can do.

‘Sometimes, we need the right opponents to grow up and Chelsea are completely outstanding and on another level.’

Ferdinand impressed by Chelsea’s transfer deals

Rio Ferdinand has described his admiration for the way Chelsea have gone about signing players this summer, which he feels is in stark contrast to the transfer activity of his former team Manchester United, Metro reports.

Appearing in a video discussion on YouTube, Ferdinand lauded the job done at Stamford Bridge to bring in Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz to play under his former West Ham and England team-mate Frank Lampard.

‘Frank has made signing players look like it’s the norm, like it’s easy – water off a duck’s back,’ said the ex-England defender.

‘The difference in the way Chelsea have done their business in this window compared to say my team Man United… there is no noise there’s nothing going on, all you’re seeing is bang – deal. Little bit of talk, bang-deal.

‘That is what’s frustrating for me and all the Man United fans.’

While the Red Devils have signed Donny van de Beek from Ajax, they have been frustrated so far in their attempts to agree a deal with Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho.

‘Sancho was talked about months ago. Still not done, it’s so frustrating,’ added Ferdinand.

‘I’m not saying deals are easy to be done but Chelsea are showing deals can be done if you put the money down and it’s all done in the right way.’