Chelsea transfer round-up: Hudson-Odoi’s ‘awkward’ stance, Mendy alerts Neuer
Chelsea will host Krasnodar in the Champions League tonight knowing they have already landed qualification.
With one game to go in the group stage, the Blues will go through top after beating Sevilla 4-0 last week.
That means they are, theoretically, more likely to land a more favourable draw – though anything is possible.
For Frank Lampard, it is a huge moment of relief knowing he can allow some of his more senior stars to have a night off ahead of a busy December schedule.
But the injuries are starting to tot back up again with Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi out.
It is a huge blow for the latter, who would have no doubt been a more prominent feature in games this month prior to his hamstring injury.
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However, interest in the 20-year-old is set to grow in January while new signing Edouard Mendy has caught the eye.
Here are the latest Chelsea transfer rumours.
Chelsea to ignore Hudson-Odoi bids
Chelsea are set to ignore any offers to loan or buy Callum Hudson-Odoi in the January transfer window despite his lack of game time this season.
Hudson-Odoi, 20, was left out of the Blues squad which toppled Leeds 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, having also failed to make it into the 18 for their 0-0 stalemate with Tottenham the previous weekend.
Reports suggest Hudson-Odoi is considering leaving Lampard’s side when the January transfer window opens in search of more regular first-team football, which will boost his chances of making it back into the England squad for next summer’s Euro 2020 tournament.
Yet according to The Athletic, Chelsea are not even prepared to let him leave on loan at the turn of the year.
Hudson-Odoi has previously tried to leave in search of first-team football but the Blues stood firm and he signed a new contract after the arrival of Lampard as coach.
But he is running into the same problems again while a fresh injury will do him no good.
Mendy catches Neuer’s attention
Bayern Munich star Manuel Neuer has namedropped Chelsea’s new goalkeeper Mendy as one of the best in Europe.
It comes after a surprise move from Rennes where he joined as a relative unknown but has gone on to become one of the best keepers in the Premier League this season.
The Senegal international has played 14 times, keeping nine clean sheets and conceding just twice in the Premier League.
“There are a lot of world-class goalkeepers right now. For example, Edouard Mendy, who moved from Rennes to Chelsea,” Neuer told L’Equipe.
“He is a player that we only saw in Ligue 1, who joined a big club and has immediately been successful.
“It’s great to see that. Overall, I’m happy to see so many good goalkeepers because we’re a brotherhood.”
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