Arsenal are targeting a Chelsea wonderkid in a move that could send shockwaves through the Premier League.
The two London rivals tend not to do business with one another – and have seldom made transfers between each other since the Blues were bought by Roman Abramovich in 2003. Willian crossed the line in 2020 when he moved on a free transfers from the Blues to the Gunners, while Petr Cech went the same way five years prior in a £10 million deal.
Most famously, Ashley Cole and William Gallas swapped sides after a tapping up scandal in the noughties, while even this summer, Hale End youth product Omari Hutchinson went from the Emirates Stadium to Stamford Bridge.
Now, according to football.london, Arsenal are pursuing Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Hudson-Odoi burst into the Blues first team after interest from Bayern Munich almost resulted in him leaving English football altogether. He made his England debut in 2019, becoming the second-youngest ever player to start a competitive match for England, after Wayne Rooney in April 2003.
The Independent says that Newcastle United, Leicester City and Southampton are all interested in taking the 21-year-old on loan, with all three requiring a right-winger before the window closes – but so do Arsenal.
The Gunners have pursued the likes of Yeremy Pino and Pedro Neto according to recent rumours – but Hudson-Odoi, who was a massive hit when he first burst onto the scene, is capable of beating full-backs on either flank and has the vision to unlock defences.
While Arsenal would no doubt be desperate to land the starlet, however, it's incredibly unlikely that Chelsea will be willing to do business with their rivals. The attacker's contract ends in 2024, so the west Londoners will not feel pressured to sell, either.
Hudson-Odoi is valued at around £22.5m by Transfermarkt.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has declared that the Gunners aren't finished with their spending this summer.
Lucas Paqueta has been heavily rumoured as a target in the centre of midfield, as has Youri Tielemans of Leicester City. Arthur Melo has been touted, too, though new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko – who says its his dream come true to join his boyhood club – can play in midfield as well. N'Golo Kante has also been linked.
A big-money winger seemingly remains the last piece of the puzzle for the Gunners, while Gabriel Jesus' agent has revealed other sides were in for the striker and one wonderkid has departed the Emirates.
