Callum Hudson-Odoi decided he would be better served remaining with Chelsea during the upcoming international break rather than join up with a new-look England Under-21 side.
Lee Carsley, the new head coach who will be assisted by former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, said that after conversations with the 20-year-old winger and his agent it was clear that the player's preference was to remain with his club.
Hudson-Odoi had a decent pre-season at Chelsea but has been an unused substitute in their opening two Premier League games. He continues to be linked with a move away, including a possible loan to Atalanta according to reports in Italy, before the transfer window closes on Tuesday night. Chelsea are not in a rush to sell the academy graduate but could be tempted by a significant offer.
Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher, who are spending the season on loan at Huddersfield Town and Crystal Palace, have been included in a 24-man squad also featuring Cobham graduate Marc Guehi, three Arsenal attackers and a pair of Tottenham Hotspur players.
Yet Hudson-Odoi is unquestionably the most notable omission having turned down the request to join up for a pair of fixtures against Romania and Kosovo.
"Callum is a player that we really like," Carsley said. "I’ve had some really good conversations with him and his advisor and Callum felt that it wasn’t the right time for him at the minute to come with England. He’s stayed back at Chelsea to work on his development there. I respected that decision and that was it really."
England Under-21 squad
Goalkeepers: Joe Bursik (Stoke City), Etienne Green (St. Etienne), Josh Griffiths (Lincoln City, loan from West Bromwich Albion)
Defenders: Max Aarons (Norwich City), Levi Samuels-Colwill (Huddersfield Town, loan from Chelsea), Charlie Cresswell (Leeds United), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Anderlecht, loan from Manchester City), Valentino Livramento (Southampton), Ryan Sessegnon (Tottenham Hotspur), Luke Thomas (Leicester City)
Midfielders: Tommy Doyle (Manchester City), Conor Gallagher (Crystal Palace, loan from Chelsea), Jimmy Garner (Nottingham Forest, loan from Manchester United), Curtis Jones (Liverpool; suspended vs Kosovo), Cole Palmer (Manchester City), Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa), Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Arsenal), Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United), Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Tyreece John-Jules (Blackpool, loan from Arsenal), Noni Madueke (PSV Eindhoven), Emile Smith-Rowe (Arsenal).
