Bayern Munich have a tough ask on their hands this summer in convincing Chelsea to sell them 18-year-old starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Bayern Munich have already begun their summer spending spree of buying top talents to replace their veteran players. Die Roten’s biggest task in the summer will be finding the right attacking player to compensate for the departures of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
Chelsea teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi is still at the top of Bayern’s list of transfer targets after the club failed to pry him away from the Blues this past January.
According to the latest report from Goal, Chelsea are still unwilling to accept Bayern’s £35 million offee for the 18-year-old. Hudson-Odoi’s pair of appearances for England’s senior team over the international break has further increased his price in their eyes. Chelsea desperately want to extend his contract that expires in 2020, and this report suggests it would still take an astronomical offer for Chelsea to sell the youngster despite his contract situation.
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The Times in England report that Chelsea have told Hudson-Odoi they are not going to sell him this summer. Their looming transfer ban has forced them to miss out on any transfer fee for the English winger. They report that Bayern Munich will come back with a new offer in the summer, but they are likely to face competition from Manchester United for Hudson-Odoi’s signature.
Die Roten reportedly agreed personal terms with Hudson-Odoi in January and planned to give him the number ten jersey, which will be vacated by Robben in the summer. The England international tried to force a move in the winter window, handing in a transfer request, but Chelsea refused to sell him. His minutes have hardly increased since then, despite the club’s insistence on keeping him. He is yet to start a Premier League game this season.
Hudson-Odoi is likely to try to force a move once again in the summer if he doesn’t get satisfactory game time from now til the end of the season. ESPN report the young winger is still set on leaving Chelsea in the summer, despite the club’s insistence that he won’t be sold. His promotion to England’s senior team has further strengthened his case of getting more minutes at club level. Chelsea are ready to boost Hudson-Odoi’s wages, but he is more concerned about his development as a player right now than anything else.
Bayern Munich are reportedly monitoring a few alternatives should they fail to sign Hudson-Odoi. The Bavarians were rumored to have submitted a significant offer for Lille’s Nicolas Pepe, but nothing new has emerged regarding his situation. Die Roten are prepared to spend big this summer, but they should avoid getting bullied by Chelsea in Hudson-Odoi’s transfer due to his contract situation. Waiting a year to sign him on a free would be smarter than continually increasing their bids to meet Chelsea’s demands.