The Blues blocked the winger’s desire to complete a loan exit to Borussia Dortmund late in the transfer window but the short-sighted decision could come to cost the club
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As is now customary at Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window, an influx of youth prospects and fringe players departed Chelsea in a series of loan exits.
A total of 22 players secured temporary loan exits to clubs ranging from Lokomotiv Moscow, Milan, Flamengo and Besiktas, to Wimbledon, Reading, Blackpool and Gillingham.
Callum Hudson-Odoi was not included on that list of players despite Borussia Dortmund promising to offer him regular first-team football in his preferred slot on the left-side of attack.
Over three and a half years have passed since Hudson-Odoi made his Premier League debut for the Blues, aged 17, and displayed the talents that had earmarked him as a future star for club and country.
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Yet the winger has made just 21 league starts for the club and appears to be as far from a regular run of game-time than ever.
Chelsea have invested heavily in the wide attacking positions in recent years and Hudson-Odoi is competing with the likes of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, for a starting slot.
Thomas Tuchel clearly does not have the 20-year-old in his strongest starting line-up and it is arguable that he is outside the top five first-choices in the two wide attacking positions in a three-man attack.
Hudson-Odoi’s game-time appears to be even more limited with Tuchel’s current preferred 3-4-2-1 formation with wing wing-backs Reece James and Marcos Alonso deployed to add width.
Of course, Hudson-Odoi lined-up in the right wing-back position in the Super Cup clash against Villarreal but this is not the position in which he is most comfortable as he is unsuited to the added defensive responsibilities, which deprive him of his preferred attacking freedom.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of his side’s clash against Liverpool last week, the German boss downplayed the possibility of a temporary exit for Hudson-Odoi.
Tuchel said: “If we want to compete in all competitions it’s also about numbers. You need a squad of 20 or 21 players to compensate for injuries, to compensate for yellow cards or whatever.”
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That was far from a ringing endorsement of the winger’s status in the squad and an indicator that he is once again set to be a peripheral figure this campaign.
Such a scenario is likely to be detrimental for Hudson-Odoi’s development, at a stage in his career where he would be best served in a side who can afford him a regular run of games.
It should be highlighted that Hudson-Odoi has not been cast aside by the German coach – he started seven of the 19 Premier League matches under Tuchel last season, having been included in the league XI just 10 times from a possible 57 selections under Frank Lampard.
Hudson-Odoi faced a similarly frustrating time under Maurizio Sarri and the lack of regular game-time at the Blues has also cost him on the international stage.
The last of his three caps for England came 10 days after his 19 th birthday and he was not in the frame for selection in Euro 2020 and, barring a turnaround in his personal fortunes, looks unlikely to be involved in next year’s World Cup.
His preference for joining Dortmund would have allowed him to thrive in the position he loves and to enjoy a regular run of football at the top level for the first time in his career.
The remarkable development of Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho at the Bundesliga club are obvious examples of the impact such a move could be on Hudson-Odoi, whose undoubted talented was until recently actively pursued by Bayern Munich.
His desired exit would only have been temporary, and he would have returned to Chelsea at the end of the campaign as a motivated player with greater experience and with a point to prove.
The Blues have a well-stocked squad and it is unlikely the exit of Hudson-Odoi would have been decisive in the club’s ambitions this campaign.
The decision to block the winger’s move to Germany could be one that the European champions come to regret.
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