It’s rare that a player attracts so much attention after so relatively few Premier League minutes, but that’s where we are with Chelsea wonderkid Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The immensely-gifted 18-year-old has just made his England debut after impressing whenever he’s got into Chelsea’s first-team this season, and even before he’d made the bulk of his appearances for the Blues he’d been a top January transfer window target for none other than Bayern Munich.
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Remarkably, Hudson-Odoi was targeted not once, but four times by Bayern in the winter, according to Sky Sports, with the player keen to leave Stamford Bridge at that time.
Now a few other names seem to be in the frame, but what would be the best next move for him? Read on as we take a look at the options…
Bayern Munich
If he’s not playing much at Chelsea, would he really get much more in the way of minutes at a club like Bayern Munich?
The Mail claim CHO will be a target for the Bavarian giants again this summer, and there may well be an opening as ageing duo Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery head towards the end of their Allianz Arena careers.
But even after that there’s Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller and maybe James Rodriguez if he makes his loan move permanent – some truly huge names to compete with.
While it’s tempting to look at the likes of Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson getting game time and developing well in Germany, we’re not convinced Bayern actually represents the same opportunity.
Liverpool
As noted in the link above from the Mail, Liverpool are also among the suitors for Hudson-Odoi, and may be a better move for the youngster.
Jurgen Klopp could do with more options alongside his front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino – with the latter of those two seeing a significant dip in form this season.
Xherdan Shaqiri has not been that much in the way of a backup, meaning there could be room for Hudson-Odoi to become the latest young talent to shine under Klopp, who seems ready to throw youth players in when required.
Manchester United
Also named as admirers in that link from the Mail are Manchester United, who do seem to be in the hunt for an attacking player of Hudson-Odoi’s style this summer.
The Daily Mirror have notably linked the Red Devils with Dortmund ace Sancho, but why splash the cash on a settled player with a long-term contract when you could get a similarly exciting talent for probably a bit cheaper due to his contract being up at the end of next season – and weaken a rival in the process?
For the player himself, however, a move to Old Trafford should perhaps be approached with caution due to their recent tendency to chop and change managers, even if things look promising at the moment as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brings in more attacking football and promotes youngsters of his own.
Borussia Dortmund
As also noted in that Mirror piece, Sancho moving to United could see Dortmund move for Hudson-Odoi to replace his fellow England starlet.
Given how well things have gone for Sancho with BVB, this might be the best possible next move for the Blues misfit to get the playing time he wants from a club he knows will value his development.
With Christian Pulisic also set to leave Dortmund for Chelsea in the same summer, there’s a chance for Hudson-Odoi to make the west Londoners look very silly indeed by going and doing a better job than the player they’ve just signed for the very club they signed him from.
PSG
A strange rumour from the Sun, but Paris Saint-Germain are also believed to be among Hudson-Odoi’s many admirers.
Given that the French giants have Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in their side, with Julian Draxler and Angel Di Maria as other attacking options, we’re not sure Hudson-Odoi would stand much of a chance at the Parc des Princes.
Desperate for Champions League success, PSG are not a club with the patience to blood youth like this, and nor do they need to when they can afford the finished product.
Real Madrid
Another fairly unconvincing rumour, but one that could work out alright if it came to pass as Don Balon link Real Madrid as among Hudson-Odoi’s admirers.
The Spanish giants need a major shake-up in attack so could well find room for the 18-year-old, with a few more young players getting a look-in in recent times at the Bernabeu as the Galactico signings have dried up somewhat.
It would undoubtedly be a big gamble and a pressurised environment for a young player to go so early in his career, but not the worst idea in the world.
Stay at Chelsea
Unless something changes, it’s hard to see this happening, and Chelsea have no one to blame but themselves.
With constant chopping and changing of managers, youth players regularly get overlooked at CFC as under-pressure bosses need to rely on more conservative team selections to get the results they need straight away. There’s little point building for the future if you’re not going to be in the job for more than a year or two.
On top of that, Chelsea just doesn’t look a happy place to be right now: they probably won’t finish in the top four, Eden Hazard and other big names may well leave, and another transitional year is surely going to follow.
While Hazard’s exit and a transfer ban could boost Hudson-Odoi’s personal ambitions of playing more often, there are no guarantees as Pulisic prepares to come in – itself a sign that the club don’t have enough faith in their academy star.
It’s pretty clear if you ask us – get out of there, Callum, and get yourself to Liverpool or Dortmund!