Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi ‘asked Antonio Rudiger about Bayern Munich transfer’

Bayern had a longstanding interest in Hudson-Odoi before he signed a new Chelsea deal

Adam Hamdani
Wednesday 08 January 2020 11:11 GMT
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(Getty)

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Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has said that Callum Hudson-Odoi grilled him on life in the Bundesliga before the England international decided to commit to a new contract.

Bayern Munich have held a longstanding interest in 19-year-old Hudson-Odoi and Rudiger, a Germany international who started his career at VfB Stuttgart, has revealed his Chelsea team-mate came to him for advice on whether or not to quit the Blues.

“Of course he asked me about FC Bayern back [last season],” Rudiger told German newspaper Sport Bild.

“I told him it was a great club. But the transfer ban and the departure of Eden Hazard – which we had been expecting for a long time – made it clear that he would get more appearances.”

Last January, Bayern even went on the record about how desperate they were to sign Hudson-Odoi.

“We really want to sign him,” said Bayern’s director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic.

“He has qualities that fit our team. He can dribble and has a drive towards goal. He has lots of potential.”

However, Chelsea rejected a series of bids from the club and Hudson-Odoi decided to commit his future to the London club in September by signing a new deal until 2024.

Hudson-Odoi has previously admitted he was close to moving to the Bundesliga.

Speaking in November, he said: “I think I was more thinking about it. I wasn’t saying I was definitely going to sign [for Bayern] or I wasn’t going to sign. I was thinking about it.

“There were times last year where I felt a bit of frustration or times when I wanted to play more because I love the game. I was thinking, ‘what happens if I do that (go to Bayern)?’

“But at the same time, I thought to myself, ‘this is the club that I’ve been at and this is where I want to become a key player’”.

Hudson-Odoi has played an important first-team role under Frank Lampard this season, scoring two goals in 20 appearances in all competitions.

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