Callum Hudson-Odoi comments prove his transfer stance change amid Chelsea to Newcastle link

Newcastle United target Callum Hudson-Odoi could be on his way out of Chelsea as he seeks greater first-team opportunities, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The winger has fallen significantly down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and is understood to be angling for an exit this summer.

The Telegraph report that the 21-year-old is expected to hold talks with the Blues in the near future as he looks to secure a move away from West London.

Newcastle have already been linked with the wide man this summer, but could face competition from the likes of Leicester City and Southampton for his services.

This is not the first time that Hudson-Odoi has been linked with a transfer away from his boyhood club. In 2020, Chelsea resisted a high-profile attempt to sign him from Bayern Munich.

What has Hudson-Odoi said about his future?

While Hudson-Odoi has addressed previous exit speculation, his most recent and overt comments suggest that he is glad that he remained at Chelsea in recent transfer windows.

Speaking after the Blues won the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this year, he said: “If I went out in the summer I wouldn’t get opportunities to play like this and enjoy the games and win trophies.

“So I’m really delighted that I stayed and obviously I got the opportunity to play.”

What have pundits said about Hudson-Odoi joining Newcastle United?

The general consensus among pundits appears to be that Hudson-Odoi’s potential arrival on Tyneside would be a move that suits both parties.

Former England full-back Glen Johnson, for instance, recently said: “He [Hudson-Odoi] has spells where he looks unplayable and then he has days where it looks like he shouldn’t be playing in the Premier League.

“If he gets his head straight then I think he’s got a lot to offer but I think his days at Chelsea are over to be honest.

“He’s still young but for me he’s got a lot to learn.

“He needs to play football every week so to go somewhere like Newcastle where he’s being taken out of his comfort zone to focus on his football.

“Maybe Newcastle will get the best out of him.

“A loan move would possibly work if he goes somewhere to play every week.

“He’s got a lot to offer so Chelsea won’t want to give him up easily – that could be another one of those signings where they let him go and try and buy him back again for £100 million in two years’ time.

“To let him go on a year’s loan, or even two years, to let him learn his trade where he’s playing every single week and then call him back is better than technically throwing everything away.”

Likewise, ex-Leeds United striker Noel Whelan told Football Insider: “With Raheem Sterling coming in at Chelsea and the other wingers already ahead of him – it looks like he is well down the pecking order.

“It seems like he has possibly gotten a bit too relaxed after signing that new contract. He’s happy to be at a club like Chelsea, but is he really fighting for his place?

“To get into the England squad [Hudson-Odoi has since been linked with a switch of international allegiance to Ghana] these days, you have to be playing week-in, week-out – and he’s not doing that.

“It’s really important that he gets out this summer. Whether it’s a season-long loan or a permanent deal, it would probably suit Newcastle.

“He can find that confidence, belief, and motivation again through more game time if he does make this move.”