Callum Hudson-Odoi should stay at Chelsea, says Paul Merson
Monday 7 January 2019 22:57, UK
Callum Hudson-Odoi should wait for his chance at Chelsea and reject any move to Bayern Munich, Paul Merson told The Debate.
Hudson-Odoi has been the subject of repeated bids from the German champions, and Sky Sports News understands the 18-year-old has refused to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge, but was urged to stay by Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri in a press conference on Monday.
Merson told The Debate the winger's future would be best served by staying in London, where he feels the tide may be turning against Chelsea's recent poor record of blooding youth players.
He said: "He's got great potential, it's all right having potential but you have to then go on and do it. A lot of people have potential, but get in and don't produce.
"If I was his agent, I'd be sitting down with him and saying be patient, stay at Chelsea. Give it a while, you're a young kid.
"Bayern are an ageing football team, they're only going one way. I don't think they're going to be the dominant team they were, they've got a lot of older players in the team now, and when they change it around, there'll be a lot of pressure on him - you won't be playing with your Riberys and your Mullers, he'd be expected to pull up trees.
"He's a young kid, playing behind top-drawer players at the moment. He's not at a mid-table club thinking 'why am I not playing?' it's Willian, Pedro, proper players. You can only learn from them. The manager's said that he wants him to stay, and there's a position there. Pedro might be on his way, who knows next season."
Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes echoed Merson's comments and said Hudson-Odoi's recent appearances - including a start in their 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday - would give Sarri confidence the youngster can produce the goods.
She said: "There's an opportunity at Chelsea, they're a club who need that type of player in depth and if he hangs in and demonstrates himself, that's how the manager will learn to trust him.
"Even with 15 minutes here, 20 minutes there, he played well at the weekend against Nottingham Forest, it's up to him, it's his prerogative but I think the opportunities for young players at Chelsea will come.
"You can see with the signing of Christian Pulisic that they want younger players coming in."
