Exclusive: Callum Hudson-Odoi on Nuno Espirito Santo departure, Ola Aina 'bromance' and modern day wingers
Updated 12/09/2025 at 11:39 GMT+1
It has been an eventful start to the new season for Callum Hudson-Odoi. The 24-year-old signed a new three-year deal at Nottingham Forest at the end of last month, before the club made a shock managerial change by sacking Nuno Espirito Santo and bringing in Ange Postecoglou to replace him. Hudson-Odoi speaks exclusively to TNT Sports about both managers and why he committed his future to the club.
Hudson-Odoi punishes Ederson error after ‘brilliant’ Gibbs-White assist
Video credit: TNT Sports
It has been an eventful start to the 2025/26 campaign for Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Less than a week after scoring his first goal of the new season in Nottingham Forest's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, he committed his future to the club by signing a new three-year contract.
Ten days later, the winger was saying goodbye to one manager and welcoming another as Forest made the shock decision to sack Nuno Espirito Santo and replace him with former Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou.
Hudson-Odoi's equaliser at Selhurst Park was the last goal of the Nuno era at Forest and the player is grateful to have shared so many good memories with his former boss.
"He helped us get back into Europe, which was a major achievement for us," he told TNT Sports in an exclusive interview. "He did an amazing job here and he was a great guy, great character and great person to work with, and we made a lot of memories together.
"He had a massive impact on the club and I wish him nothing but the best in the future."
It will not be an easy start to life at the City Ground for Postecoglou as his team travel to the Emirates on Saturday to face Arsenal, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Despite guiding Spurs to UEFA Europa League glory last season, the Australian was relieved of his duties in north London, but Hudson-Odoi is looking forward to playing for the charismatic coach.
"I’m very excited," he explained. "We’ve seen how his Tottenham teams played in the previous seasons where they were playing exciting football, so we’re all excited to work with him.
"We can’t wait to get started on Saturday, and we need to keep improving every day in training so we’re all excited."
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After spending 15 years at Chelsea, it feels that Hudson-Odoi has found a second home at Forest and he could not stop smiling when explaining his decision to extend his stay at the club.
"It’s like a family here, and I can call this place home," he said. "I’m very settled after spending a few years here. It’s a good community and the fans are amazing here and the atmosphere is great.
"I’m enjoying it because the people around me make me enjoy it and make me feel comfortable where I am and how I’m playing. I feel like I’m playing my best football and doing the right things.
"It was an easy decision [to sign a new deal] and hopefully I can keep improving every day and make everyone proud."
There is one player in particular who has developed a tight bond with Hudson-Odoi - Ola Aina.
Moments after Hudson-Odoi had put pen to paper on his new deal with the club, Aina picked him up from the training ground and conducted a wholesome interview with his team-mate for the club's official website.
Supporters also got a glimpse of their close relationship on TNT Sports when both men were speaking after Forest sealed a victory over Manchester City in March after Hudson-Odoi's winner.
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‘It’s about staying humble’ - Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina on race for Champions League
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I’ve known him for so many years since our time at Chelsea together," Hudson-Odoi said. "Our energies just match and we’re both just such lively characters and we just wanted to bring a good vibe and energy to the training pitch and away from football.
"It’s all about us to keep having a good time and enjoying our lives. Our atmosphere is always trying to be happy for everybody and make sure everyone is in good spirits on and off the pitch.
"I think that’s how both our personalties match. We’ve got a good bromance and long may it continue because it’s a good vibe."
'It’s not all about stats'
After a flurry of activity before the transfer window shut, players like James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye and Jair Cunha will be looking to add to the positive atmosphere around the club.
Although it can be exciting to watch the club invest in new recruits, their arrivals could also mean less game time for the existing playing staff, but Hudson-Odoi is relishing the competition in training and believes Forest needed the additions to cope with playing UEFA Europa League football this season.
He explained: "You can see it in two ways. You can see it as competition and tell yourself you have to be at your best no matter what game it is. You just need to be the best player that you can be, and try to strive and push yourself every day.
"Or, you can see it as a negative where you think are they trying to replace me. For myself, you always need to be confident in yourself and all the deals from the club, they’ve brought in quality players with great attributes, so it’s good competition for everybody.
"There’s so many games coming up for us this season so it’ll be good for everyone to get some minutes."
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‘What a start for Forest!’ – Hudson-Odoi finishes ‘brilliantly’ to give hosts early lead
Video credit: TNT Sports
With more players fighting for places, supporters and pundits alike will be crunching the numbers and stats to argue who deserves a regular starting spot. However, Hudson-Odoi is not a fan of judging a player's performance solely on stats.
"I think it’s not all about stats," he said. "As an attacker, of course you want to be scoring goals and getting assists, but there are other ways where you can help the team.
"The objective of football is to score goals because that wins your games. But, there are occasions where someone might not have contributed a goal or assist, but they’ve had an amazing game.
"People might think what’s going on with a player if you don’t get a goal or assist in a few games, but it’s important to just do the best that you can to get the result."
It is amazing to think that Hudson-Odoi is only 24 when considering the success he enjoyed during his time at Stamford Bridge, where he was involved in their UEFA Champions League and Europa League winning teams.
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Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrating Chelsea's Champions League triumph in 2021
Image credit: Getty Images
He has seen how the role of a winger has evolved since he burst onto the professional scene in 2018, and the former Chelsea man believes there is still room for improvement in his game.
"There have been a lot of changes into how a modern day winger must operate and the key now is to be effective," he said.
"You need to be effective in both boxes and you have to make sure you’re doing your job on both ends to the best of our ability.
"I’m a much more mature player who understands the game a bit more. As you get older, you understand the role that you’re playing and how you need to get in certain positions in terms of turning, driving with the ball and contributing with goals and improving your defensive work.
"No one is perfect, so you can always keep improving and at the end of the day, that’s what I want to do. I want to keep helping the team as best as possible to get the best results for the club."
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When looking back at the wingers who inspired him, Hudson-Odoi cites Brazil and Barcelona icon Ronaldinho as well as Neymar, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. However, he also pays close attention to modern-day wingers who continue to thrive in their positions.
"There are a lot of amazing wingers nowadays with the likes of [Lamine] Yamal doing very well," he said.
"[Jeremy] Doku is a very explosive player on the ball, while [Bukayo] Saka is very effective in front of goal and contributes goals and assists. I’m thinking that these guys are doing well and I need to be doing the same thing."
Those three players have also been given the opportunity to show off their skills on the international stage and with a World Cup on the horizon next year, is Hudson-Odoi looking to get himself on the plane?
"The more you prove yourself on the pitch in club football, the international call up will come - whether that’s for England or Ghana," he replied.
"The better you do on the pitch, the more opportunities you’ll get and you have to prove it to yourself. You need to show yourself why you deserve that opportunity to play at a World Cup one day or another international competition."
'I was so angry after the West Ham game'
The international break has been a source of frustration for the winger because he has been unable to rectify Forest's 3-0 defeat to West Ham last month, and he is eager to make things right at the Emirates this weekend.
"I was so angry after the West Ham game," he said. "I wanted to play Arsenal the next day because that’s how I am when we lose.
"After a defeat, I’m just angry and emotionally annoyed thinking how the hell did that happen. It’s an annoying feeling having to wait a few weeks to get back and play another game because you just want to change the result the next week but it happens."
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Callum Hudson-Odoi during Nottingham Forest's defeat to West Ham
Image credit: Getty Images
Forest have failed to win away at Arsenal during the Premier League era but they had a similar record heading into last season's game at Anfield last September.
Hudson-Odoi scored the winning goal against Liverpool to break that unwanted record and he is confident that Forest can take all three points on Saturday.
"We’re confident going into every game that we can get the win regardless of who we’re playing," he said.
"We don’t head into a game fearing anyone but we go there with the mentality of going to win and that’s the only way you’re going to achieve success in anything especially in football. We believe in ourselves and we’re preparing well for the game and hopefully it’ll be a good one."
When asked about his own personal record against The Gunners, Hudson-Odoi recalled that he had contributed a couple of assists but not managed to find the back of the net.
Is he confident about breaking his duck this weekend?
"The feeling is now I need to do it," he said. "It needs to happen sooner rather than later."
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