Callum Hudson-Odoi Transfer Request Signals Growing European Trend

 Chelsea are determined to keep hold of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who submitted a transfer request, with Bayern Munich making four bids for the 18-year-old. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters
Chelsea are determined to keep hold of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who submitted a transfer request, with Bayern Munich making four bids for the 18-year-old. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters
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Callum Hudson-Odoi Transfer Request Signals Growing European Trend

 Chelsea are determined to keep hold of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who submitted a transfer request, with Bayern Munich making four bids for the 18-year-old. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters
Chelsea are determined to keep hold of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who submitted a transfer request, with Bayern Munich making four bids for the 18-year-old. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

Callum Hudson-Odoi’s decision to lodge a transfer request this week after Bayern Munich’s £35m bid is a sign of changing times and a growing trend for young players at big Premier League clubs. Hudson-Odoi is trying to follow the path that has taken a lot of young English players abroad in recent years thanks to the success of Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund and club partnerships with European sister clubs.

Three or four years ago it would have been rare for a young player at a top Premier League club to request a transfer to go to a European club. It’s interesting to see a young player at Chelsea now saying “I want to go” – not just on loan, but abroad permanently.

Hudson-Odoi did well last weekend and scored a great goal which exemplified why there is a lot of noise around him right now. I can certainly understand why Chelsea are battling to keep him because he is clearly a big talent, but from the player’s perspective it is tricky to be held back from leaving for Bayern when the alternative is the odd sub appearance and cup cameo. Unless something else is happening in the background and Eden Hazard or Willian is going to go in the summer, why not let a talented young player leave to play regularly at one of the biggest clubs in Europe?

Hazard, Willian and Pedro are clearly ahead of Hudson-Odoi in the pecking order and which will not change since those are established Chelsea players. Or should it change? If the club are willing to turn down a £35m bid tehn maybe that justifies him playing far more regularly for Chelsea.

Ademola Lookman had a similar problem when he went on loan to RB Leipzig last year and Everton were quite stubborn about letting him go back there this season. But he returned to the Everton substitutes’ bench initially. If young players are capable of playing 90 minutes every week at European clubs why prevent them from doing that? Since this recent trend, gone are the days when they are content with sitting on the first-team bench with irregular cameos. Now they are ready and willing to expand their horizons to develop at a faster rate than they could at home. Sometimes clubs take their ownership of a young player for granted and do not necessarily do the best thing for their development.

There are many clever contractual ways to let a young player continue his career elsewhere while still having first option to bring them back in future. Contracts can include a buyback clause such as Barcelona had with Cesc Fàbregas, or a sell-on clause where the development club benefit financially from all the work invested in the young player. But I don’t understand a situation where clubs dangle a carrot and let young players play in a few cup games where he does well but then doesn’t ever play in the league.

The price tag reflects how much Bayern wanted him – they made four bids in total. Chelsea are not a club renowned for bringing through young players. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the best to come through in the past five years but he had to go to Crystal Palace to get a regular game. Perhaps if Loftus-Cheek went to a bigger overseas club he would have become an established player sooner. However, it may be a sign that Chelsea are sending out a message that they value their highly rated young players, of which they have many.

Tottenham have established players who have come through the ranks such as Harry Kane and Harry Winks so it would be great to see Chelsea put faith in Hudson‑Odoi and give him a more consistent chance.

But without Sancho doing so well since he left Manchester City for Germany, I don’t think the trend would be as prominent. He was called up to the England squad and has really been the poster boy for young English players going abroad. All his peers know him well and will be speaking to him to find out what it’s like. He will be telling them how much he is enjoying it and not just the football – all these things that young lads appreciate.

The fear for English players has always been that you might risk a place in the national team if you go abroad but now with all the technology we have, and social media, you are able to watch goals and assists every week, which means his performances are just as noticeable as anyone’s in the Premier League. You can’t really get away from Sancho on Instagram! If Sancho was ever going to leave Dortmund then I’m sure the bid would be for a lot more than £35m. So why not go abroad?

Obviously, as someone who is playing overseas, I can only recommend it as a life experience. It can actually help to go and do something like that when you are still very young. You are more adaptable to different types of coaching and different ways of playing because you are still learning. When you’re older you have established principles in your mind.

I had to leave my house and my friends and family behind, which adds to the difficulty, but when you’re young you don’t think about that. You just want to play football every day and score goals. I think it’s a win-win situation. It’s a bit like going to university, like so many people do at that age – you’re a sponge and you meet all these new friends and experience all these new things. And you develop.

For a few years some English clubs have had close connections with clubs in Europe such as Chelsea’s with Vitesse, but Bayern’s interest in Hudson-Odoi has shown there is another level of opportunity in Europe . Hopefully it will help our young players and the England national team to keep improving. The old argument has always been that the path is blocked for young players because of so many established overseas internationals in the Premier League. But now you can go elsewhere else and make your name.

The Guardian Sport



Meloni Condemns 'Enemies of Italy' after Clashes in Olympics Host City Milan

Demonstrators hold smoke flares during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs
Demonstrators hold smoke flares during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs
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Meloni Condemns 'Enemies of Italy' after Clashes in Olympics Host City Milan

Demonstrators hold smoke flares during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs
Demonstrators hold smoke flares during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 7, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned anti-Olympics protesters as "enemies of Italy" after violence on the fringes of a demonstration in Milan on Saturday night and sabotage attacks on the national rail network.

The incidents happened on the first full day of competition in the Winter Games that Milan, Italy's financial capital, is hosting with the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Meloni praised the thousands of Italians who she said were working to make the Games run smoothly and present a positive face of Italy.

"Then ⁠there are those who are enemies of Italy and Italians, demonstrating 'against the Olympics' and ensuring that these images are broadcast on television screens around the world. After others cut the railway cables to prevent trains from departing," she wrote on Instagram on Sunday.

A group of around 100 protesters ⁠threw firecrackers, smoke bombs and bottles at police after breaking away from the main body of a demonstration in Milan.

An estimated 10,000 people had taken to the city's streets in a protest over housing costs and environmental concerns linked to the Games.

Police used water cannon to restore order and detained six people.

Also on Saturday, authorities said saboteurs had damaged rail infrastructure near the northern Italian city of Bologna, disrupting train journeys.

Police reported three separate ⁠incidents at different locations, which caused delays of up to 2-1/2 hours for high-speed, Intercity and regional services.

No one has claimed responsibility for the damage.

"Once again, solidarity with the police, the city of Milan, and all those who will see their work undermined by these gangs of criminals," added Meloni, who heads a right-wing coalition.

The Italian police have been given new arrest powers after violence last weekend at a protest by the hard-left in the city of Turin, in which more than 100 police officers were injured.


Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Liverpool's new signing Jeremy Jacquet suffered a "serious" shoulder injury while playing for Rennes in their 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at RC Lens on Saturday, casting doubt over the defender’s availability ahead of his summer move to Anfield.

Jacquet fell awkwardly in the second half of the ⁠French league match and appeared in agony as he left the pitch.

"For Jeremy, it's his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid (Ait Boudlal, another Rennes player injured in the ⁠same match) it's muscular," Rennes head coach Habib Beye told reporters after the match.

"We'll have time to see, but it's definitely quite serious for both of them."
Liverpool agreed a 60-million-pound ($80-million) deal for Jacquet on Monday, but the 20-year-old defender will stay with ⁠the French club until the end of the season.

Liverpool, provisionally sixth in the Premier League table, will face Manchester City on Sunday with four defenders - Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley - sidelined due to injuries.


Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
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Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO

Rasmus Højlund scored a last-gasp penalty as 10-man Napoli won 3-2 at Genoa in Serie A on Saturday, keeping pressure on the top two clubs from Milan.

Højlund was fortunate Genoa goalkeeper Justin Bijlow was unable to keep out his low shot, despite getting his arm to the ball in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

The spot kick was awarded after Maxwel Cornet – who had just gone on as a substitute – was adjudged after a VAR check to have kicked Antonio Vergara’s foot after the Napoli midfielder dropped dramatically to the floor.

Højlund’s second goal of the game moved Napoli one point behind AC Milan and six behind Inter Milan. They both have a game in hand.

“We showed that we’re a team that never gives up, even in difficult situations, in emergencies, and despite being outnumbered, we had the determination to win. I’m proud of my players’ attitude, and I thank them and congratulate them because the victory was deserved,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte said, according to The Associated Press.

His team got off to a bad start with goalkeeper Alex Meret bringing down Vitinha after a botched back pass from Alessandro Buongiorno just seconds into the game. A VAR check confirmed the penalty and Ruslan Malinovskyi duly scored from the spot in the second minute.

Scott McTominay was involved in both goals as Napoli replied with a quickfire double. Bijlow saved his first effort in the 20th but Højlund tucked away the rebound, and McTominay let fly from around 20 meters to make it 2-1 a minute later.

However, McTominay had to go off at the break with what looked like a muscular injury, and another mistake from Buongiorno allowed Lorenzo Colombo to score in the 57th for Genoa.

“Scott has a gluteal problem that he’s had since the season started. It gets inflamed sometimes," Conte said of McTominay. "He would have liked to continue, but I preferred not for him to take any risks because he’s a key player for us.”

Napoli center back Juan Jesus was sent off in the 76th after receiving a second yellow card for pulling back Genoa substitute Caleb Ekuban.

Genoa pushed for a winner but it was the visitors who celebrated after a dramatic finale.

"The penalty wasn’t perfect. I was also lucky, but what matters is that we won,” Højlund said.

Fiorentina rues missed opportunity Fiorentina was on course to escape the relegation zone until Torino defender Guillermo Maripán scored deep in stoppage time for a 2-2 draw in the late game.

Fiorentina had come from behind after Cesare Casadei’s early goal for the visitors, with Manor Solomon and Moise Kean both scoring early in the second half.

A 2-1 win would have lifted Fiorentina out of the relegation zone, but Maripán equalized in the 94th minute with a header inside the far post after a free kick for what seemed like a defeat for the home team.

Fiorentina had lost its previous three games, including to Como in the Italian Cup.

Earlier, Juventus announced star player Kenan Yildiz's contract extension through June 2030.