After struggling for regular first-team minutes under Thomas Tuchel, Hudson-Odoi took a chance and left Chelsea to join Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the 2022-23 season. The 21-year-old has now revealed that Boehly was involved in the final decision and made sure that a buy option wasn’t included so that he can still have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
WHAT HE SAID: Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hudson-Odoi said: “When a club is trying to get a player [on loan], they always want that option to buy at the end of the season. Todd was saying: ‘Listen, we want you back here.’ You’re still on the radar of being wanted by the club. The way he’s trying to set it up, there are a lot of young players he’s trying to buy for the next few years. It shows he wants to integrate the players into the team and help them develop.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Hudson-Odoi may fancy his chances of breaking into Chelsea’s first team when he returns in July next year. New boss Graham Potter has been appointed by Boehly, who has made it clear that he will be focusing on the development of the club’s youth, with Hudson-Odoi in line to benefit despite the fact his current contract is due to expire in 2024.
WHAT NEXT FOR HUDSON-ODOI? After an impressive display vs Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, Hudson Odoi will be looking to continue in the same vein of form when Leverkusen face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on September 30, before their focus switches to a European clash against Porto.
Source;Ghanaweb