Chelsea: Bayern-Linked Hudson-Odoi Proves His Value

Talented Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi has been heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich in this January transfer window.

Chelsea are on the verge of retracing their unwanted steps once again, as a talented youngster grows frustrated with a lack of playing time. Callum Hudson-Odoi has been a revelation at youth level for club and country, and has impressed whenever given the opportunity in the Chelsea first-team. Despite that, he has struggled to get minutes this season – even with the likes of Morata, Willian, and Giroud heavily under-performing.

It has been a common theme for the Blues in this decade, as current Premier League stars such as Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, and Romelu Lukaku all left Chelsea in search of playing time – and all would walk straight into the Chelsea XI if they were still at the club. It does seem like German giants Bayern Munich are ready to pounce on Hudson-Odoi, as they scour the market for talented wide players to help soften the blow of Arjen Robben’s departure. Bayern have reportedly already made an offer of £30 million, with their next bid rumoured to be nearing £40 million – which would meet Chelsea’ asking price.

It is a hefty fee for an 18-year-old, but it may very well be worth the price in the long-run. Bayern have also agreed personal terms with the English youngster already, according to CNN & TalkSport.

Despite the rumours, Hudson-Odoi started and impressed in Chelsea’s FA Cup 3rd round fixture against Nottingham Forest.

It was a bit of a bitter-sweet taste for Chelsea fans on Saturday afternoon, as Callum Hudson-Odoi put on a masterclass against Nottingham Forest to send Chelsea to the next round. The winger put on a mesmerizing display down the right flank, and assisted both of Alvaro Morata’s goals.

It was a serious hint towards the future, as Hudson-Odoi’s massive potential was there for all to see. After the match, Hudson-Odoi was asked by BeIN Sports about whether he would receive more opportunities, to which he replied:

"“Hopefully, hopefully. You never know. I feel really proud to get opportunity to play and help the team get the win we deserved”"

Assistant coach and club legend Gianfranco Zola recently spoke out about the situation in a press conference, stating that Chelsea are waiting for Hudson-Odoi to consider their offer, and that they value him as a player. Interestingly, he also mentioned that he knows the player hasn’t had as much playing time as he might have wished.

Hudson-Odoi was seriously impressive on Saturday in a match where he was finally given a serious opportunity by Sarri. In a season where so many of Chelsea’s forwards have been underwhelming, it really is in their best interest to give him more opportunities, and increase the chances of him signing the contract in the process. If the Blues let him go to Bayern, they may regret it for a generation.