Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is determined to return this new season physically stronger.
A positive start to the 2021/22 campaign was ultimately scuppered by an Achilles injury that developed into something more troubling and problematic.
Hudson-Odoi told the club's website: "The whole summer I've just been trying to build on my strength and my fitness, just focusing on me getting back to being myself really. I've been here for the past five out of six weeks with just a one-week break and it's good to know I've started early to be as fit as possible before the boys came back. I'm definitely feeling much stronger. There's a new trim for me as well, a new style for a new season.
"My main goal this summer and throughout the season is to be stronger. There were times in the season last year when I was running with the ball and feeling like I could get barged off it or I'm not as strong as I thought I was.
"I've been putting more muscle on in training to make sure I'm getting bigger so when the opponents come, I know that I'm strong enough to hold them off, or that I won't get barged and I can barge them instead."
He also said: "I want to be playing as much as possible. Regular football brings out the consistency so I want to just keep playing and playing as much as I can. Playing those 10 out of 11 games in my preferred position on the left side was massive for me because that's where I know I can be at my best and do what I do as much as possible.
"We were winning games, top of the league and everything was going well, so to have an injury like that hits you hard but at the same time it motivates you to come back and return to where you were before."
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