Chelsea transfer news: Hudson-Odoi has “no clue” if he’ll return to Chelsea

Enjoying life under Alonso 

Let’s get the big question out of the way, shall we? Will Callum Hudson-Odoi return to Chelsea this January? “Seriously, I’ve got no clue,” Hudson-Odoi said as a part of a media round table with selected journalists ahead of Bayer Leverkusen’s friendly against St. Louis City SC. Leverkusen are in St. Louis to open the brand-new CITYPARK Stadium, which will be home to Major League Soccer’s 29^th team.  Currently out on loan, Hudson-Odoi has made the trip to the United States with Leverkusen, but whether the fixture on Wednesday (3-0) will be his last remains to be seen. 

Chelsea will have certainly followed the game with some interest. Hudson-Odoi started the game and scored the first-ever goal at CITYPARK and also contributed an assist and overall was one of the best players on the pitch overall. Internally, Leverkusen seem to be relaxed about the situation. Sources have told Transfermarkt that Chelsea have not decided yet. Still, even if Hudson-Odoi is recalled, Die Werkself feels prepared for that eventuality as Florian Wirtz is set to return from his ACL injury. 

“Look, at the end of the day, whatever the decision is, you have to get on with it,” Hudson-Odoi said. “[Whether it is Chelsea or Leverkusen], I will just have to give my best.” The 22-year-old almost seemed like the end of an odyssey as he has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich over several transfer windows before suffering an Achilles tear in April 2019. Although Bayern reportedly made one more try after Hudson-Odoi recovered from that injury, the serious pursuit seemed very much open.

Hudson-Odoi at Leverkusen: “It has been a good experience”

Hudson-Odoi laughed when confronted with the constant rumors linking him to Germany’s record champions and the irony that he has now ended up in the Bundesliga, after all, even though it is with Bayer and not Bayern. “It has been a good experience for sure playing in the Bundesliga,” Hudson-Odoi said. And even though he has managed just one assist in nine Bundesliga games, the 22-year-old seems to relish the open attacking style of the league. “It is a brand-new experience, and I think it has gone very well,” Hudson-Odoi said. 

One thing that Hudson-Odoi has enjoyed about the Bundesliga is the attacking football. “From a defensive side, Bundesliga teams play with a higher line,” Hudson-Odoi said. “There are far more up the pitch than in the Premier League, where many teams play with a low block, and it is harder to get past them. In the Bundesliga, defenders often meet you at the halfway line, and if you get past them, that sets up opportunities for counter-attacks and one-on-one opportunities.” 

Whether it is the Bundesliga or Premier League, Hudson-Odoi appreciates playing in both competitions. “They both have a very high quality, and they give you different challenges,” Hudson-Odoi said. On a personal level, whether it is in Germany or in England, Hudson-Odoi knows that he has to up his goalscoring output after still remaining without a goal in nine Bundesliga games. “I am often on target,” Hudson-Odoi said. “I just need more goals and more assists.” 

Alonso on Hudson-Odoi: “I want to keep him”

Another goal is to win more trophies, whether it is with Leverkusen or with Chelsea, with whom he has won the Champions League, the Europa League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. “You want to stay hungry,” Hudson-Odoi said. “You want to show that you can win the trophies more than once.” 

Repeating a Europa League triumph is very much possible should Hudson-Odoi stay in Leverkusen beyond January. Die Werkself will be facing Monaco in the first round of the knockout stage. “I want to keep him a lot,” Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso said in the press conference after the St. Louis game. “I am sure that he will stay until the end of the season. He is an important player for us.”

Hudson-Odoi, in return, has been impressed by what Alonso has done as a head coach at Leverkusen. “I think he has done really well,” Hudson-Odoi said. “He is always hands-on and wants you to do the best you can and get results for the team as well. He’s done well with that, and hopefully, it continues.” 

England or Ghana: Hudson-Odoi “hasn’t ruled out anything yet”

Alonso and Leverkusen then would like to continue the relationship with Hudson-Odoi. Ultimately, that decision will lie with Chelsea; the Premier League club could recall Hudson-Odoi at a moment’s notice, and even though the winger is starting to come into his own with Die Werkself, the realities of professional football means that the 22-year-old has no control over the situation. 

The same, however, is not true when it comes to his international future. Hudson-Odoi has played three senior international games for England, which means that he remains eligible to make the switch to Ghana, the country of his parents. “I still have both in consideration,” Hudson-Odoi said when asked about potentially playing for Ghana. 

Whether it is Ghana or England, Chelsea or Leverkusen, important decisions are coming up for Hudson-Odoi, and there is almost a sense of uncertainty surrounding the player. “I haven’t ruled out anything yet. But these situations are difficult for a player. For the moment, I just want to focus on the club as things are going well here, and I just want to keep pushing myself as much as possible.” 

Homepage