Chelsea assistant Gianfranco Zola says Callum Hudson-Odoi should be counting himself lucky to be getting game time for a big club, unlike other 18-year-olds.
Hudson-Odoi surprisingly did not start in the Europa League against Malmo on Thursday and has made just two cameo appearances since the January window closed.
The teenager missed out on his move to Bayern Munich but Zola has told Hudson-Odoi there are plenty of youngsters out there getting no minutes whatsoever.
'He's always on the edge of the team,' said Zola, who was standing in for manager Maurizio Sarri ahead of Monday night's FA Cup fifth-round clash with Manchester United.