Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has reportedly set his sights on Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi in the January transfer window.
According to Football Italia, Maurizio Sarri is prepared to raid his former club Chelsea to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi. The explosive forward is one of the two players to have emerged as the ideal targets for Lazio as Sarri looks to strengthen the overall quality of his team in the upcoming January transfer window.
Regarded as one of the most talented players to come out of the Chelsea youth academy in recent years, Hudson-Odoi is quite familiar with Sarri, thanks to their time together at Stamford Bridge. In fact, the player made his first steps in professional football under the Italian tactician, notably featuring in ten league matches during the back end of the 2018/19 campaign.
Sarri left Chelsea after the corresponding season, but Hudson-Odoi has gone on to become one of the vital cogs in the Chelsea attack. Especially in recent months, the injury woes of some of Chelsea’s top attackers, coupled with Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech’s struggles, have forced Thomas Tuchel to rely on the English forward.
However, Hudson-Odoi’s place in the first team is far from guaranteed. Despite bagging two assists in the recent win over Aston Villa, the winger’s role in the first-team could dwindle further as the Blues look to splash the cash on Real Madrid starlet Rodrygo Goes, among many other star players across Europe.
It could pave the way for Lazio to enter the market for the explosive winger, whose speed and ability on the ball could make him an asset for Sarri.
After the departure of Joaquin Correa, the Serie A club has indeed lacked the presence of a dynamic attacker in the final third. On top of that, they are facing a battle to keep hold of the influential playmaker, Luis Alberto, amid interest from Leicester City, thus accentuating the need for a new face in the attacking department.
However, it appears unlikely that Chelsea would want to sanction the exit of Callum Hudson-Odoi anytime soon. While the English forward still has a long way to go before he can become a guaranteed regular, he is certainly not the most out of favour attacker at Chelsea right now. To that end, Lazio may have more luck pursuing Christian Pulisic, who is likely to be offloaded in January.
