Callum Hudson-Odoi in action for Chelsea against Brighton.
As per a tweet from Mike McGrath of the Telegraph (h/t Football.London), Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen are interested in a season-long loan move to sign Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi during this transfer window.
Hudson-Odoi has been linked with Newcastle United this summer for a number of days. Last week, the winger was taken out of a Chelsea U-21 game to help him complete the move to Tyneside. However, that move has not yet taken place.
Perennial German champions Bayern Munich have been close admirers of the 21-year-old and had bids rejected by Chelsea in the summer window of 2020. It shows how highly he is rated, not just in England, but also in one of the big clubs around Europe.
Hudson-Odoi made 28 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and assisting six more. He is one of the very few youth products of Chelsea who hasn’t yet been out on loan to another club for gaining experience by playing more games.
With regards to his quality, the England international is quick and good with his feet. The 21-year-old does lack composure in front of goal but can play both as a winger and as a wing-back if required. He possesses a good work rate, which is always a minimum for any top-level player.
From his viewpoint, moving away from Chelsea to try his game in another league wouldn’t be a bad idea. Bundesliga has generally been kind to English wingers, Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund being one of the examples.
Leverkusen lost one of their star wingers in Leon Bailey last summer. They still have young and quality options in wide areas – namely Paulinho, Moussa Diaby, and Adam Hlozek (Transfermarkt). But, it seems as if they are seeking an addition in that department during this window.
So, this move makes sense for the German side and also for Hudson-Odoi. For Chelsea, this is an opportunity to send one of their bright young talents for a year to one of the top sides in Germany, with the hope that he plays regularly and does well. If he does that, the Blues will have a very good player coming back with the experience of a different league under his belt.
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