Three ways Chelsea are getting played over Callum Hudson-Odoi’s contract

Chelsea are once again on the verge of Callum Hudson-Odoi signing a new contract. However, despite his talents, Hudson-Odoi does not deserve so much more to remain a Blue.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is finally set to sign a new lucrative contract, again. For real this time. Surely, this is it. Within 48 hours, per the knowingest in-the-knows. But after all of the time wasted, the speculation around the subject and the flirt with Bayern Munich, Hudson-Odoi does not deserve a new contract. Here are three reasons why not.

1. He has no leverage and is extorting the club

Callum Hudson-Odoi is currently injured, which leaves a lot of uncertainty over the direction his career will take. Any player in his position would be overjoyed that the club he grew up in is willing to hand him a lucrative contract.

Yet Hudson-Odoi keeps postponing the signing. Perhaps he thinks there is something better for him out there, or maybe he wants more money in his pocket.

Considering the position he is in, he’d be lucky to get half of what Chelsea are offering.

However, he is still reluctant to sign and thinks he has the upper hand over the club. Just because he is talented, doesn’t mean he will fulfill the expectations. Hudson-Odoi has only showed sparks of magic, but that only provides vague indicators of his potential. He has no concrete experience that screams “give me money.” He is simply milking the fact that he rose through Chelsea’s academy and had a decent debut, and is now turning it into an excuse to inflate his value to the club.

Last, just because Bayern Munich were / are interested in paying a considerable amount of money does not mean that he will get the chance to play that often either. In fact, if he wants to play and grow, Chelsea are his best bet right now.

Passively threatening Chelsea by not signing the contract because another club showed interest is unacceptable, especially coming from someone who owes so much to the club.

2. With his sale, Chelsea could buy someone else

Chelsea should take Bayern’s offer (or whoever comes around next) and spend that money on someone else. Since Hudson-Odoi wants the big bucks at an early stage of his career and thinks the grass is greener on the other side, then the club should sell him.

After all, there are other young talents out there who might be willing to commit to Chelsea.

Although no wonderkid would come cheap, surely Chelsea now have the money to spend once the transfer ban is lifted. Players like Jadon Sancho, Kai Havertz or even Vinicius, Jr., could fill the gap Hudson-Odoi would leave. With the added benefit that two of those three already have plenty of experience and goals under their belt in at the senior level, we immediately see how Hudson-Odoi is not irreplaceable.

3. Possibility of a bad return from injury

Although no one wants to see it, it is a possibility: Hudson-Odoi may not be the same after his injury. It has been a while since he featured in the game where he torn his Achilles tendon back in April. Injuries of such magnitude can have a long-term negative impact on any player.

Instead of taking the risk of handing a massive contract to a youngster, Chelsea – if they cannot keep him on current terms – should simply take the highest bidder and cut their loss.

This is a big “what if,” but since Hudson-Odoi is seeing this moment purely as a business transaction of who can offer him the most, Chelsea should do the same and capitalize on a good deal that could lead to further investments.

They should not be pushed around into putting all their eggs in one basket.