According to the Independent, German giants Bayern Munich are confident of signing Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi. The 18-year-old winger’s contract with the Blues expiring in the summer of 2020, so the power lies with the youngster.
Hudson-Odoi is regarded as one of the brightest young stars in the European game. The youngster recently impressed in a 2-0 FA Cup third round victory over Nottingham Forest.
Youngsters struggle for game time at Chelsea
Chelsea are now infamous for their policy of signing highly-rated young players only to loan them out elsewhere. Not many young players ever make it as far as the Chelsea first-team, as the Blues decide to splash the cash, rather allow their young players a chance to impress.
The likes of Dominic Solanke and Nathan Ake are examples of young Chelsea players who have had promise and had to move elsewhere to find game time. The likes of Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are examples of young players currently with the Blues and struggling for first-team minutes.
Both players are older than Hudson-Odoi. However, understandably the winger has asked for assurances that he will get game time before considering signing a new deal with Chelsea.
The Bundesliga a league for youngsters
The German Bundesliga is a league full of promising young players. German clubs tend to give youngsters a chance to shine and gain experience. Two English youngsters currently thriving in the German top-flight are Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson at Dortmund and Hoffenheim respectively.
Both teenagers have moved to the Bundesliga and enjoyed far more game time than they would have if they had stayed in the Premier League. The big English clubs tend to delay the development of young players by signing players for big money.
Meanwhile, most German clubs concentrate on improving, nurturing and helping young players to fulfil their potential. No doubt Hudson-Odoi is looking at his compatriots impressing in the Bundesliga and thinking I could really thrive in Germany.
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has reportedly advised the young winger not to make the move to Bavaria. However, history suggests that Chelsea are highly unlikely to give him the valuable playing time he will need to fulfil his potential.
Bayern Munich the favourites to sign Hudson-Odoi
Bayern are currently the favourites to sign the young winger. The German giants remain of European football’s powerhouses.
The noises coming out of the Hudson-Odoi camp suggest that the youngster is slightly apprehensive about a move to Germany. However, that he is impressed by the fact that Bayern have been so persistent in their attempts to sign him.
It seems the youngster will have a big decision to make in staying at Chelsea and fighting for a first-team spot or moving on in the near future. The young winger has made just one Premier League appearance this season, which came from the bench.
At 18 years of age, he is still a young player and is unlikely to be a regular in the Blues first-team. However, Chelsea have previous for blocking young talented players path to the first-team, so it would not be a massive surprise if the winger moved to Munich.
Will Callum Hudson-Odoi be plying his trade in Munich in the near future?
