Journalist Charlie Bennett has been speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel about why he believes signing Callum Hudson-Odoi is the ‘easier’ deal for Newcastle United to complete as they are also linked with teammate Christian Pulisic.
It appears clear that Hudson-Odoi will be heading out on loan before the transfer window slams shut on 1st September with too many players ahead of him in the Chelsea pecking order, and at 21, he needs to be playing regular first-team football – something Newcastle could offer him.
The Magpies are said to hold an interest in the young winger, who was once the subject of a bid from Bayern Munich. Last season, he was only afforded 15 league appearances, highlighting the need for a move away, and according to reports, he’s indicated that a move to Tyneside would appeal to him.
Bennett believes that Hudson-Odoi’s need and desire to play football could make it a simpler deal for the Magpies compared to their chances of signing colleague Pulisic.
He said: “Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic, they’re going to be looking to leave.
“I don’t claim to be all-knowing or anything, but the noise coming from London would be that Hudson-Odoi would be the easier deal to do.
Who would you rather Newcastle signed?
Pulisic!
Hudson-Odoi!
“Chelsea are supposed to be a little bit unsure whether to let Pulisic go, but they’d be more open to letting Hudson-Odoi leave. Hudson-Odoi, I think he only started 10 games for Chelsea last season. Obviously, he’s a boyhood Chelsea fan, but the faint noises are that he’s sort of coming around to the idea of leaving his boyhood club.”
TIF Thoughts on interest in Hudson-Odoi…
Hudson-Odoi clearly needs game time as he’s still yet to start more than 11 league games in a single season, and if that means dropping down a level – albeit to a club that have lofty ambitions for the future – it could well save his career.
With Raheem Sterling arriving this summer and rumours circulating of a possible move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who can also play out wide, that would almost certainly shut the door on regular minutes for Hudson-Odoi at Chelsea.
Whereas, at Newcastle, he would only be competing with the likes of Ryan Fraser, Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy with none of those players ever being clinical during their time on Tyneside, so it arguably wouldn’t take a lot to dislodge them.