In spite of his inability to secure a regular role in the team, the Englishman was forced to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Thomas Tuchel insists it was “simply impossible” for him to let Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Chelsea while explaining why he blocked the player’s exit from the club.
Hudson-Odoi was a subject of interest for Borussia Dortmund in the previous transfer window as the German club looked to replace Jadon Sancho, who had moved to Manchester United.
Dortmund approached Chelsea to sign the versatile 20-year-old on loan in the closing stages of the summer market, but a move never materialized.
The Blues academy graduate was unable to become a regular in their first-team under Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri, or Frank Lampard, and now he’s struggling for game time under Tuchel. He was an unused substitute in their opening three Premier League games this season before finally being afforded a start against Aston Villa on Saturday.
“We have spoken. It was a very easy decision for me to make on the last day of the transfer period,” Tuchel told about blocking Hudson-Odoi’s Chelsea exit, per Goal.
“We cannot let a player go who is in the 18/19 man squad. He is able to play as a right wing-back, a left wing-back, in the two number 10 positions. He knows the group, we know him very well.
“There was no chance to say yes on the last day. For him personally it may have been a good opportunity but for us and our targets that we want to achieve, it was simply impossible. It was an easy one for me actually.”
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