Bayern Munich are unwilling to give up their pursuit of Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and are reportedly weighing up a fresh £45 million bid.
According to Daily Mail, Chelsea are poised for yet another raid from Bayern Munich for the services of Callum Hudson-Odoi. It is believed that the German giants are preparing to table an improved £45 million bid for the winger, which is £10 million more than what they had offered back in January.
Newly appointed Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard, however, is keen to keep hold of the player and has recently offered him a prominent role in the first-team next season. Hudson-Odoi’s current contract at Stamford Bridge expires at the end of next season and with both Chelsea and Bayern, striving hard to secure his services, it could turn out to be a dilemma for the youngster as he looks to choose his preferred destination.
Hudson-Odoi has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich for a long time. The Bavarians have identified the 18-year-old as an ideal man to revamp their attacking department, following the retirement of Arjen Robben and the departure of Franck Ribery. Both of these wingers played a significant role behind Bayern’s success over the past six-seven seasons, and their departure from the club will create a large void in attack.
Furthermore, Colombian international James Rodriguez has also returned to Santiago Bernabeu following the end of his two-year loan spell. He was set to move to Napoli, but it seems like Atletico Madrid have joined the race, days after losing Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona. Nonetheless, his return to Madrid further accentuates the need for a new attacker and Hudson-Odoi, in that regard, could be an exciting option.
The English winger is blessed with a sheer pace and can offer dynamism in the final third. He can also keep hold of the ball even under tight pressure, which could help him thrive in the Bundesliga. Besides, a fee of £45 million makes him a significantly cheaper option when compared to other targets in the market.
As for Chelsea, they need to double their efforts in keeping hold of Hudson-Odoi beyond next season. The Blues have already been slapped with a nasty transfer ban. They have quite a shallow attacking department as well, that has been further blighted by the big money departure of Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata while Gonzalo Higuain, too, has returned to Juventus following the end of his loan spell.
That leaves Lampard with Willian and Pedro as his only reliable options in the wide-attacking positions, and both of these players are already nearing the final phase of their respective career. However, the Chelsea legend will be boosted by the arrival of Christian Pulisic.
And the USMNT star could potentially build a solid offensive partnership with Hudson-Odoi and the duo will be able to provide that youthful exuberance to the Chelsea attack that has appeared overly reliant on the services of ageing wingers in recent years. Hence, the West London giants should perhaps try their best to keep hold of Hudson-Odoi as they aim to kickstart a new era under Lampard next season.
