The good news (well, “news”): Chelsea ‘will not sell’ Callum Hudson-Odoi this summer, even if he refuses to sign a new contract.
The bad news (well, “news”): Hudson-Odoi ‘determination to leave Chelsea has increased’ after this weekend’s star turn for the England national team.
The worse news (well, “news): Chelsea’s relationship with Hudson-Odoi’s representatives has ‘soured’ and the Blues as ‘increasingly resigned to the probability’ that the 18-year-old will never sign the Chelsea contract.
All that is according to the latest report from Matt Hughes in the Times, who adds that Chelsea are willing to play this multimillion pound game of chicken with the kid, risking a hefty transfer fee on offer from Bayern Munich or whoever else for a relative pittance of a transfer fee decided by a committee should he eventually leave as a free agent — since he would be (well) under 24 when his contract expires in 2020, Chelsea would be due some small amount of compensation by rule.
Chelsea’s stance certainly isn’t surprising, and having let the situation devolve into its current state, is basically the only viable way forward. It would seem apparent that Hudson-Odoi could in fact be a generational talent, and if there is even a tiny chance of that becoming true, that’s worth the €30m risk.
Whether Hudson-Odoi can be persuaded to change his mind is a much more convoluted proposition, but perhaps it’s not too late. Either way, we’ve got to try.