Chelsea Football Club have confirmed 19-year-old forward Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus.
The club has also confirmed personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men’s team building will now ‘self-isolate’ in accordance with Government health procedures.
The club's training facility will now undergo partial closure.
Club statement. — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 13, 2020
The personnel will comprise the full men’s team squad, coaching staff and a number of backroom staff.
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“Callum displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning and has not been at the training ground since then as a precaution. However, his test came in positive this evening and he will undergo a period of self-isolation. Despite testing positive for the virus, Callum is doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible,” said the club in a statement on Friday, March 13.
The club went forward to explain those who did not have close contact with Odoi would ‘return to work’ in the coming days, with only part of its training facility set to be shut.
Stamford Bridge, however, as well as the rest of the training facility remain operational.
Chelsea were scheduled to play Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Premier League on Saturday, March 14.
Other cases
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has also tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Arsenal Colney Training Centre has been closed, with personnel who had had recent close contact with Arteta now in self-isolation.
"Our London Colney training centre has been closed after head coach Mikel Arteta received a positive Covid-19 result this evening. Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with Government health guidelines. We expect this to be a significant number of people from Colney, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff," said Arsenal.
This new development has prompted the Premier League to schedule an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss future fixtures.
