Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi set to extend for the 48th time

News on the Callum Hudson-Odoi extension front has been quiet until the Chelsea media has nothing else to talk about. 48th time a charm right?

The Boy Who Cried Wolf is perhaps the most famous of Aesop’s fables (sorry The Tortoise and the Hare, thems the rules). Boy wants attention, boy says there is wolf, town comes running, boy laughs, boy does it so much that when an actual wolf shows up he is eaten because no one is listening anymore. Classic.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is the boy who cries contract extension. Or rather, the Chelsea media does on slow news days which are incredibly common with a transfer ban and an international break. See, Hudson-Odoi was on the verge of signing the extension in June. And July. And today. All of that is not even considering the countless times in the knows have proclaimed it is just a mere 48 hours away every 48 hours for the last several months.

At this point, the only rational way to approach news of a Hudson-Odoi contract extension is to roll the eyes and go “yeah sure” as sarcastically as possible. The winger has had several months to extend as playing time is a near guarantee under Frank Lampard and the wage is beyond fair. But that contract still has not been signed despite Bayern Munich giving up their interest long ago and the window being closed worldwide. At this point, it is just hard to get all that excited about an extension.

Make no mistake; Hudson-Odoi extending his stay would be a very good thing for Chelsea. He is a talent on par with any of the best out of the Chelsea academy and the best of his English generation. But this has all felt like such an ordeal that it has become very hard to side with Hudson-Odoi’s delay or get overly excited when an extension finally happens for the 48th time.

See, Hudson-Odoi is in a very strong bargaining position now. He can ask for almost any assurances he wants because the alternative is he leaves for free next season. And make no mistake; without a contract extension that is still very much on the table. Chelsea is past the point of being able to sell him for any sort of real profit so their choices are extend on silly wages or let him go. And all of that is assuming Hudson-Odoi is even the same level of player following his injury.

Again, Hudson-Odoi extending would be great but it is tempered by how much of a struggle this has all been. From his transfer request till now, it has felt as though Chelsea has been on Hudson-Odoi’s string. Every 48 hours till a contract extension has been just another chip into the facade.

Until he does sign, these rumors should be met with a shrug until they become real. And when it does become real, it should be met with both rejoice and “why did it take so long?” because that matters. Lampard said he wanted players at the club who want to be at the club. Hudson-Odoi still needs to show that.