Chelsea are reportedly set to offer teenage sensation Callum Hudson-Odoi a new bumper contract to stave off interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
According to a report from the Evening Standard, Premier League giants Chelsea are hoping to convince in-demand starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi to stay put at Stamford Bridge, by offering him a new lucrative contract worth £100,000-a-week in wages.
Hudson-Odoi is one of the crowned jewels of the Chelsea youth academy. The teenager had been tipped for great things from a very early age and he has shown glimpses of his potential in his debut season with the Blues’ first team in the ongoing campaign.
The 18-year-old has featured 19 times across all competitions for Maurizio Sarri’s team this season, chipping in with 5 goals and 4 assists in the process. However, the fact that he is yet to start a single Premier League game this term and has featured for just 119 minutes in the top-flight has led to the player getting frustrated and seeking an exit from Chelsea.
Hudson-Odoi tried to force through a move away to Bayern Munich in the January transfer window, by submitting a transfer request. But, Chelsea dug their heels in and rejected the Bavarian giants approach. However, the German champions are expected to come back with another offer come summer.
Along with Bayern Munich, Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United too have joined the hunt for the teenage sensation, who made his international debut for England earlier this month. The Red Devils are in the market for a new winger and have identified the unsettled youngster as a potential target ahead of the next season.
Chelsea, however, are not interested in a sale and are not prepared to lose their prized asset without a fight. To that end, the Blues are hoping to get Hudson-Odoi to sign a new contract with the club, as per the report from the Evening Standard.
The West London outfit had already tabled a new deal believed to be worth £85,000 per week to the 18-year-old in January, which he refused to sign. Now, they are hoping that a bigger pay packet worth £100,000-a-week will convince Hudson-Odoi to pen a new contract.
Chelsea’s desperation to get Hudson-Odoi to agree to a new contract also stems from the fact that the teenager will be entering the final year of his deal and they could lose him for a nominal compensation fee in 2020. Also, the two-window transfer ban imposed on the Blues by FIFA complicates matters further for the club.
There is no questioning the talent and the potential Hudson-Odoi possesses and it is only natural that clubs across Europe are lining up to sign him. If Chelsea are to hold on to the Englishman, they will need to act fast and tie him down to a new deal and also offer him more minutes on the field than what has been the case so far this term.
