Black Stars head coach, Chris Hughton has stated that talks are still ongoing to convince Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah to switch nationality to Ghana.

In a nationality switch conversation that seemed to have dragged on for a long while, Hughton explained that the players gave good reasons in the several dialogues held with them.

"We have been in contact with them not only on my time but I think before. I think it is a process and ultimately it will be about both of them making that decision that they want to play. But we have been in good dialog with them and some of it(reason) I think it's understandable."

While giving an account on Hudson-Odoi, he said the player played fewer games last season and is hopeful that they will reopen and speed up a conversation if Odoi settles at a new club this season.

"Two very good players. Hudson-Odi I think probably last season he didn't play the amount of games he would've loved to play and it is more down to the system- three at the back. It looks like even if he was going to play he would have played mostly as a wingback. So hopefully wherever he goes this season, (he will) play regularly and maybe we would get the process going again," he said.

The two Ghanaians born in the UK were said to be close to switching nationality to Ghana but the switch hit snug.

Eddie Nketiah visited Ghana amidst the rumours and secured his Ghanaian passport whereas, for Odoi, the rumours are that he aims at settling in his club career and finding his form before making his decision.

The two have been on the Ghana Football Association's radar since 2020.


EE/KPE