Chelsea have been forced to crush 18-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi’s new-found dreams of forcing through a big-money move to Bayern Munich. He’s grounded.
The club’s newest ‘bright young thing’ has been the subject of a £35m bid from Bayern Munich; which, somehow, shares contradictory characteristics of being ‘a lot’ for an unproven 18-year-old, but somehow also registers as not being that much at all given the erratic state of the market. Do two Hudson-Odois equal one Callum Wilson? Hard to gauge these days isn’t it?
Having made a meagre five starts more than most other 18-year-olds for Chelsea this season (albeit none of them in the league) Hudson-Odoi is – probably fairly – concerned about the lack of minutes he may end up registering if he stays in south-west London. The attacking player slapped a transfer request down hard on Maurizio Sarri’s desk this week, as he looks to add further weight to the theory that the Bundesliga is the place to be for young English talent. But if Chelsea aren’t going to be letting him leave, then what’s a boy to do?
Here’s a few ideas for how he can fill the rest of what could potentially be a frustrating second half of the season for him:
1) Start taking German lessons
Presuming he hasn’t been learning already, the time between now and the end of the season offers Hudson-Odoi a good few months to pick up some basic, conversational German to help him prepare for his inevitable summer move to the Bundesliga. There’s an element of fatalism about the saga, making it seem a case of when, rather than if, Bayern Munich secure the services of the winger. He needs to be prepared.
So 15 minutes a day on Duolingo will definitely help his integration into their star-studded squad. “Kann ich bitte Fußball spielen? Ich spiele gern Fußball” would be an excellent place to start.
2) Get really into the FA Cup
Hudson-Odoi notched a goal in Chelsea’s FA Cup fourth-round win over Sheffield Wednesday. With him yet to start a Premier League game (or indeed play many minutes), it stands to reason the starlet/whizkid/ingenue will find his main chances to impress limited to cup competitions. Chelsea take on Manchester United next, and, even as it fades in stature, it’ll pay for young Callum to brush up on the glorious history of the FA Cup. Concerns over a lack of game time can be driven away through a mental re-positioning of ‘quality over quantity’. If the lad gets really ‘up for the FA Cup’ he’ll value those appearances way more than some substitute minutes in the boring old Premier League.
3) Longingly watch Youtube videos of Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho’s move to Borussia Dortmund has made him the poster boy for running away from home to join the German Circus, with his shining form helping the club on its way to topping the Bundesliga, as well as securing him proper England recognition. If Hudson-Odoi is in need of an extra burst of inspiration to force through a move, he could do a lot worse than firing up some highlights videos of Sancho’s six goals and nine assists this season, accompanied by some banging European techno. Boom boom boom.
4) Make the most of being in London
Munich isn’t the only city that could potentially turn Hudson-Odoi’s head this summer though; Liverpool have also reportedly harboured interest in signing the player and – with the ominous ‘in the last 12 months of his contract’ description looming on the horizon – plenty of clubs could be looking to make a move.
Either way, with a fair chance he could be waving goodbye to our nation’s capital, the Wandsworth-born youngster would be well advised to make the most of London while he still can. I’m talking about going into full-blown tourist mode – Madame Tussauds, Big Red Bus Tours, Boris Bikes in the park and East End pie and mash with that weird green stuff.
5) Legally change his name to ‘Danny Drinkwater’
Chelsea may be desperately keen to hang onto Hudson-Odoi, but one player they are keen to shift off the books is England international Danny Drinkwater. The club are struggling to find a new home for Drinkwater – thanks to the high wages they inexplicably awarded him – but, if Hudson-Odoi were to change his name, he may yet be able to escape. Also, why wouldn’t you want your name to be Drinkwater? It is simultaneously a surname and excellent hydration advice.
Sam Russell