It was in the final hours of the 2021 summer transfer window that Callum Hudson-Odoi went to Thomas Tuchel and asked to leave Chelsea on loan. Borussia Dortmund had made an offer for the winger and the prospect of playing regular first-team football with a club in the Champions League understandably appealed.
Yet Tuchel did not grant Hudson-Odoi's request. Part of the reason was he needed cover for Reece James at right wing-back, something the academy graduate had done during the second half of the previous campaign. Another factor, football.london understands, is Tuchel wanted to continue to oversee the then 20-year-old's development at close quarters.
Was that the right call? With the benefit of hindsight, no. Almost 12 months on, Hudson-Odoi remains stuck in a holding pattern at Stamford Bridge. And it's why he's again keen to leave Chelsea. Dortmund remain interested, although a permanent move would likely require Hudson-Odoi to take a pay cut. Premier League clubs Southampton and Leicester City are considering loan offers, and there are plenty of European sides monitoring his situation.
