Nelson 'inspired' by Hudson-Odoi's meteoric rise at Chelsea

Arsenal attacker Reiss Nelson says he has been 'inspired' by Callum Hudson-Odoi's rapid rise to prominence at Chelsea this season.

The 18-year-old has racked up 16 appearances across all competitions for the Blues this season, most notably playing a starring role in their Europa League campaign.

Hudson-Odoi has found regular starts in the Premier League hard to come by, but he has hit four goals in Europe to help Chelsea reach the quarter-finals of the competition.

The teenager's recent performances earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for 2020 European Championship qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro, and he has been tipped for a bright future at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Nelson, who is currently plying his trade in Germany on a season-long loan at Hoffenheim, has revealed he is aspiring to reach the same level as Hudson-Odoi, despite a frustrating start to 2019.

The 19-year-old scored six goals for the Bundesliga outfit during the first half of the campaign, but he has failed to retain his spot in the starting XI since the turn of the year.

"I've played against him [Hudson-Odoi] in the youth league when he was at Chelsea," Nelson told Sky Sports News. "He's my friend so you want to get there as well.

"It's very inspiring, just wants to make you push even more, train even harder and get to that level."

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Along with Hudson-Odoi, Nelson has also had to watch Jadon Sancho storm onto the international scene, after starring for Borussia Dortmund throughout the 2018-19 campaign.

The Gunners forward is in danger of being left behind but he remains focused on the challenge ahead, with a return to Emirates Stadium on the cards this summer.

Nelson insists that the experience of playing in the Bundesliga has been positive for him "both on and off the pitch", which he has discussed in detail with Arsenal's Per Mertesacker.

On his conversations with the club's academy director, Nelson added: "I'm learning a different culture. I'm taking in the environment.

"Per's just been very direct to me, telling me it's not always about football, sometimes it's about off the pitch.

"He tells me 'you're learning a new language, new environment, just keep up with your performances'."