Bayer Leverkusen are targeting a loan deal for Callum Hudson-Odoi, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath.
Hudson-Odoi has struggled to secure consistent playing minutes over the last couple of seasons and he is expected to leave Stamford Bridge before the end of the current transfer window.
The winger is yet to feature in any of Chelsea’s opening three Premier League fixtures of the current season, although the winger did make the bench for each of his side’s most recent two outings – most recently a 3-0 demolition at the hands of Leeds United on Sunday afternoon.
While a permanent exit seems unlikely for Hudson-Odoi at this stage, a loan move away looks to be the most probable option.
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel recently claimed that the 21-year-old still has ‘a way to go’ if he is to fulfil the potential that saw him break into the first-team set-up in 2018.
“He [Hudson-Odoi] had a long-term injury and long-term problems to overcome,” Tuchel was quoted saying by the Evening Standard.
“That’s where he suffered from – I think he still has a way to go to live up to his potential.”
A host of clubs are thought to be interested in snapping up Hudson-Odoi, whose Chelsea contract still has two years to run, on a short-term basis including Newcastle United, Leicester City and Southampton.
Bundesliga giants Leverkusen have now joined the race to land Hudson-Odoi before September 1 as they look to add more firepower up front.
Gerardo Seoane’s men have kicked off the 2022/23 league campaign on the back foot having lost their opening three games, scoring just one goal in that time.
If Hudson-Odoi ends up at the BayArena, he would become the second new attacking acquisition for Leverkusen this summer following the earlier arrival of Adam Hlozek from Sparta Prague.
