Chelsea’s Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal winger Nelson still in with a chance to win Golden Boy after longlist is cut

CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI and Reiss Nelson continue to lead the Premier League pack in the race for the 2019 Golden Boy award.

But the teenagers still face plenty of strong competition before being named the best under-21 player by Tuttosport.

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Joao Felix - the 'next Cristiano Ronaldo' who signed for Atletico Madrid this summer - is among the favourites to land the award.

The original list of 100 nominees has been cut down to 80 after the first round of public voting.

And it is good news for some of the Premier League's upcoming young talents.

Hudson-Odoi is joined by four of his Chelsea team-mates, each of whom will be hoping to impress new boss Frank Lampard in pre-season.

Ethan Ampadu is in the 80, although Lampard admitted he would be willing to let the versatile defensive player go out on loan this summer.

Mason Mount is likely to break into the first team after impressing under Lampard at Derby last season.

Dujon Sterling and Marc Guehi complete the list of young Blues.

GUNNING FOR GLORY

At Arsenal, meanwhile, Nelson is one of four players still in with a chance along with Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and Matteo Guendouzi.

And given Gunners fans' propensity to influence online public votes, do not rule out a surprise winner.

Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho are among the other English players still involved while the likes of Nicolo Zaniolo, Timothy Weah and Real Madrid's Brazilian pair Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes could be in with a chance.

However, Kylian Mbappe is not in the running and Matthijs de Ligt is not expected to win as the award is supposed to be won by a new, breakthrough talent while Mbappe and De Ligt picked up the last two awards.

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Felix received six per cent of the first-round votes, placing him fourth.

Third was Kang-in Lee of Valencia with eight per cent while Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin came in second with 12 per cent.

But way out in front with a whopping 18 per cent of the votes was Trabzonspor's midfielder Abdulkadir Omur, who is a target for Liverpool.

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