CHELSEA’S CALLUM Hudson-Odoi was giving little away after scoring for the Blues just hours after press reports said the teenage winger had handed in a transfer request.
The 18-year-old struck in between two goals from Willian as holders Chelsea beat second-tier Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Hudson-Odoi has previously been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, who have made clear how highly they regard the England youth international.
Asked after full-time on Sunday if he had played his last game for Chelsea, Hudson-Odoi told the BBC: “I don’t know, I can’t say. I’ll keep working hard and you never know what will happen.”
Earlier, ahead of the January transfer window closing on Thursday, Chelsea refused to comment on the latest suggestions that Hudson-Odoi could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge.
The London club have stated repeatedly they want Hudson-Odoi, who helped England win the U17 World Cup two years ago, to remain a member of their squad.
With 18 months remaining on his contract, Chelsea could now be faced with deciding whether to take advantage of a big-money offer for Hudson-Odoi in the next few days or instead letting him stay in the hope he will sign a new deal at the end of the season.
Hudson-Odoi, who started on Sunday, made his senior Chelsea debut in an FA Cup win over Newcastle in January last year and has now made 15 appearances for the Blues, scoring two goals.
The academy graduate, who first played for Chelsea at the under-eight age group, has now made 11 appearances this season after manager Maurizio Sarri was sufficiently impressed to avoid sending him out on loan.
Five of those have been starts, while the first of his three Premier League matches was against Watford last month.
He played for 10 minutes in last Saturday’s Premier League loss at Arsenal and was an unused substitute in the midweek clash with Tottenham that saw Chelsea advance to the League Cup final.
Just over a week out from the 2019 Six Nations openers, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey are joined by Bernard Jackman to look at Ireland’s bid for another Grand Slam:
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