Midfielder Edwin Gyasi has advised Callum Hudson-Odoi to follow his heart despite calls to play for the Ghana national team.
The Chelsea academy graduate, following his arrival in the West African country, has dominated the headlines.
The 20-year-old, following his arrival, visited the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif and President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Okraku.
President Akufo-Addo, after the meeting, tasked the country’s football governing body and the Sports Ministry to start steps for the nationality switch to take place.
Gyasi, 30, with five caps for Ghana, says England-born Odoi should follow his conscience and not let the warm reception received in Ghana force him to ditch England for Ghana.
“I will advise him (Hudson-Odoi) to follow his heart, rather than bowing to public pressure at this critical moment in his career,” Gyasi, who is a Dutch-born forward, told Accra-based Kasapa FM.
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Callum Hudson Odoi is still eligible to switch allegiance to the West African nation.
He has made three senior appearances for the Three Lions of England since his debut in 2019.
One more outing will make Odoi permanently tied to Gareth Southgate’s side. And that has been delayed by his snub for the ongoing 2020 Euros.
According to current Fifa rules on nationality switch, the forward is entitled to make a switch to Ghana provided he has not played over three senior matches for England and all the games had come before he turned 21 (on November 7).
Also, he can only make an application three years after his last appearance for the nation he wishes to change from.
He is now the youngest player to win the Champions League and the Europa League with Chelsea.
