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

Pundits see Abraham as player of season so far

Sky Sports pundits Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier have backed Tammy Abraham as the Premier League’s player of the season so far while Phil Thompson has named the Chelsea striker as his biggest surprise, the Sporting Life reports.

Asked to name the player who has impressed him most in the first two months of the campaign, Nicholas was unequivocal in his choice.

‘It has to be Tammy Abraham for me,’ said the former Scotland striker.

‘I did not see his goals coming as regularly as what they are. I see a young Emmanuel Adebayor in him, with his long stretching legs but amazing ability to finish.

‘I liked what I saw when he was on loan at Aston Villa, so he is the player that has caught my eye the most. Mason Mount and James Maddison are close but it has been a breath-taking start to the season for Abraham.’

Nicholas’ view was echoed by Le Tissier

‘In terms of outplaying your expectation level, I would say Tammy Abraham would have to be right up there,’ said the former Southampton star.

‘Nobody would have put him alongside Sergio Aguero in the scoring charts after eight games, so in that view he has to be right in the mix.’

Thompson picked Kevin De Bruyne as his top performer but named Abraham as his biggest surprise of the campaign.

‘He has been out on-loan a few times and you knew he could score goals in the Championship, but there was always a doubt as to whether he could do it in the Premier League,’ said the former Liverpool defender.

‘So many people have graced the Championship and scored, yet couldn’t do it in the Premier League, but he has done this and he has looked more confident in doing it as the season has progressed.’

Nicol sees Mount as leading Golden Boy candidate

ESPN pundit Steve Nicol has spoked highly of Mason Mount while naming the Chelsea youngster as one of his top two candidates for the prestigious Golden Boy award.

Mount made the final shortlist on 20 for the prestigious annual prize and Nicol believes the 20-year-old is second favourite for the award behind Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix.

‘You talk about making an impact,’ said Nicol. ‘This guy has gone from being on loan at a Championship side, albeit making a difference for them, but to step into the Premier League from the get-go and have the weight of pretty much Chelsea’s attacking force on his back, he’s been like a duck to water.

‘He’s scored and created goals, he’s done his fair share of hard work and for somebody so young to already be in the position where he’s almost first on the team sheet at Chelsea. I mean what a leap!

‘Quite frankly he deserves it. He looks like a real character, always with a smile on his face, and he’s not just great on the field but he must be fantastic in the dressing room as well.’

Hudson Odoi lauded by Under-21 boss

England Under-21s manager Aidy Boothroyd has praised the attitude and work-rate of Callum Hudson-Odoi after the Chelsea winger scored a brace in a 5-1 win over Austria in the UEFA Under-21 qualifiers on Tuesday, the Daily Mail reports.

Hudson-Odoi made his England senior debut earlier this year but after recovering from an Achilles injury which sidelined him for four months, the 18-year-old returned to international action for the Young Lions and made a big impact in a 2-2 draw with Slovenia and the big win against Austria.

'He's been brilliant for us, if a player was a senior and then came back down to us they could be moody but he has been first class, on and off the pitch,’ said the England Under-21 boss.

'If anything in both games he was almost trying too hard, things don't come off but what he did tonight was exceptional.

'It was a terrific performance. The result was great because we needed it, if we hadn't got anything it would have meant a big gap for us to close [to Austria].’