Chelsea are planning to keep youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi at Stamford Bridge this January, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.
Hudson-Odoi has been at Chelsea since 2007, and he made his professional debut for the club in January 2018 against Newcastle United after coming through the youth ranks. The 20-year-old has made 73 appearances for the Blues, scoring on 11 occasions in all competitions. This form has earned him three caps for the English national team.
However, the arrivals of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, as well as the end-season form of Christian Pulisic, have seen the young Englishman’s playing time limited this season, starting just one league game so far.
Nonetheless, The Athletic report that Chelsea are determined to keep the winger at Stamford Bridge ahead of the upcoming January transfer window, believing that he has potential to become a world class player, as well as also providing cover for now.
Hudson-Odoi had previously been the subject of interest from Champions League winners Bayern Munich, with Sky Sports reporting in October that the Bavarians had offered a loan deal with a £70m option to buy. Their interest in the winger stretches back to summer 2019, when they offered £30m for his services.
Bayern Munich boss Hans-Dieter Flick confirmed that his side were hoping to sign the Englishman, labelling him “one of the best talents in his position” (via Sky).
Hudson-Odoi tends to prefer playing as a left-winger, although he has also featured on the right several times for Chelsea. The Blues’ current alternatives on the flanks are Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, and Mason Mount.
In the case of Ziyech, Havertz, and Mount, all three favour playing as a central attacking midfielder, while Werner has spent most of his career as a striker.
Furthermore, this season’s crammed schedule makes squad depth vital for any side looking to compete on multiple fronts.
