Chelsea Legend Frank Lampard Urges Callum Hudson-Odoi to Snub Bayern Munich

Chelsea club legend and Derby County manager Frank Lampard has urged rising star Callum Hudson-Odoi to snub Bayern Munich and continue his career at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to the Bundesliga, but Lampard believes it would be better for him to stay put, per the Mirror's James Nursey:

"Being close to Chelsea, I want him to stay there. It is a great club, a fantastic club.

"He needs to stay there and work hard to get chances to play in the team. He has done that recently and he has played, and done very well in the last couple of games. Hopefully we will see more of that. I think it is a great opportunity for him to do that.

"But in terms of what Chelsea think, what Callum thinks and what the interest is from other clubs, that is for them to sort out."

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Hudson-Odoi is the latest youngster to work his way through the Chelsea academy, flashing tantalising potential. But like so many before him, opportunities with the first team have been limited, and that has led to exit speculation.

According to sportswriter Kaveh Solhekol, Bayern have met Chelsea's demands to sign him, and the teenager is keen on the move:

Hudson-Odoi has started Chelsea's last two outings, both cup fixtures, and did enough to stand out. He was the Blues' main danger man in the 1-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg loss to Tottenham Hotspur, and he scored and assisted in the 4-0 UEFA Europa League win over PAOK earlier this season.

Former England international Gary Lineker understands where the hype is coming from:

Chelsea's reputation for not making the most of their academy works against them. The Blues have a superb track record in youth competitions, but that success has rarely translated to the senior team, with few players making the jump.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has had to wait for his opportunity for years and is finally getting a real run in the side this season. Others like Kasey Palmer, Jay Dasilva and Charly Musonda are still waiting for their shot.

Even the youngsters bought by the club have often found success elsewhere. Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are all world-class operators who started to blossom after leaving the Blues.

The Bundesliga has quickly become a prime destination for talented players from England, and the examples of Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson should help Bayern's case, per sportswriter Alex Wood:

The Bavarians have relied on the veteran duo of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben for years and will be eager to give youngsters the opportunity to shine with those two nearing the end of their careers.