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
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Your support makes all the difference.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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