Callum Hudson-Odoi transfer leaves Chelsea and Bayern in stand-off over fee
German giants are still waiting for a response to their £30million bid for the teenager
BAYERN AND CHELSEA are locked in a stand-off over Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Bayern are waiting for a response to their improved £30million bid for the Blues teenager, which was revealed by SunSport.
The German giants are anxious determined not to lose face after making such a public, big-money move for the winger, 18, and are determined to get their man.
Chelsea are said to be clinging to the hope that they can persuade Hudson-Odoi to sign the new five-year deal which has been on the table for months.
But the Blues’ decision to sign winger Christian Pulisic for £58m from Borussia Dortmund last week – apparently without the knowledge of head coach Maurizio Sarri - has damaged their cause still further.
Bayern have made it clear to Chelsea that if they hold on to Hudson-Odoi beyond January, the price will drop.
The player’s current deal has just under 18 months to run and he would be free to talk to foreign clubs from January next year.
Football sources with no stake in the potential deal say Chelsea’s dilemma is made more difficult by the fact that selling Hudson-Odoi would make a very negative statement.
The teenager, who won the Under-17 World Cup with England in 2017, is widely regarded as the most talented product of Chelsea’s Academy of recent years.
If even he couldn’t establish himself in the Blues’ first team, it would raise further questions about the club’s youth development system.
But on the other hand Chelsea have pioneered the policy of big clubs stockpiling talented youngsters and making good money by selling on those who don’t make it at Stamford Bridge.
Bayern might yet be willing to go even higher than £30m for Hudson-Odoi, so Chelsea could try to drive the price up and then cash in on him.