Newcastle United have ‘real’ interest in Chelsea star as Magpies consider next transfer move

Newcastle United have been backed to make a move for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi over the final month of the summer transfer window.

The Magpies hierachy are assessing a number of possible deals as they look to strengthen their options in wide areas and the three-times capped England winger is believed to be on their shortlist.

Still only 21-year-old, Hudson-Odoi made his Blues debut as a substitute in an FA Cup fourth round win against Newcastle in January 2018 and went on to make a Premier League bow against Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth just weeks later.

Hudson-Odoi has featured under successive Chelsea coaches including Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard but has made just 18 Premier League stars under current manager Thomas Tuchel’s 16-month reign at Stamford Bridge.

The winger is currently with the Blues squad in America and is hoping to make a fresh start after missing the second half of last season with a ‘freak’ Achilles injury.

Speaking of his battle with the injury, Hudson-Odoi said: "It was definitely scary. When it happened it was like a freak injury. It was weird. I didn't know how it even came about.

“It was just one day I went to go to training and I felt very stiff in my body and my legs. I was like: 'Woah, there's no real power to kick the ball or strike the ball or even pass it.

“It was definitely a weird one but I was working hard to get myself back into training, back into games. I definitely feel like my power has come back to where it was."

The arrival of England star Raheem Sterling could limit Hudson-Odoi’s chances of breaking into the Chelsea side on a regular basis and journalist Ben Jacobs believes the winger would be a good fit if Newcastle choose to make a move.

He told the NUFC Matters podcast: “Hudson-Odoi, by the way, would be a great signing for a club like Newcastle United.

“At the moment, I think Chelsea are just assessing his future and Newcastle haven’t made any kind of formal move at all.

“The interest I think is real there on Newcastle’s part, though, and the thing with Hudson-Odoi is that he’s only just back to full fitness, so it’s going to take quite a lot to persuade Chelsea to sell him to anybody.”