Fulham are "ready to swoop" for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and believe a deal can be struck for him, according to reports in the last 48 hours.
Who will Fulham sign this summer?
Marco Silva's side, at long last, recently confirmed new signings ahead of the 2023/2024 season with Mexico international striker Raul Jimenez and centre-back Calvin Bassey joining the west Londoners.
Jimenez will help to fill the void by Aleksandar Mitrovic's potential departure, with the Serbian mooted to be chasing an exit regardless of whether his Saudi move goes through or not.
Meanwhile, Bassey joins Fulham with plenty of potential, having previously starred for Rangers in the SPFL and on their Europa League run in 21/22 – not to mention a brilliant campaign at Ajax last season.
Silva, after sealing these major moves, is certainly not done there according to recent rumours – with the likes of Everton's Demarai Gray, Fluminese's Andre and Man United midfielder Fred all linked in the past week.
Fulham enjoyed a fine campaign over 2022/2023, briefly contending for a European spot and securing a solid mid-table finish – all the while finishing above big-spending London rivals Chelsea.
Another player to have been repeatedly linked with a move to Craven Cottage is Hudson-Odoi, with reports suggesting he is likely to leave Chelsea this summer.
A report by Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke shares an update on their pursuit of the 22-year-old, and it's stated they are "ready to swoop" for him.
There is currently a difference in valuations delaying a full agreement between the clubs, but there is a belief a deal can be wrapped up for the forward.
While Serie A side Lazio and league rivals Nottingham Forest are believed to be keen on signing Hudson-Odoi, Fulham have a slight edge in the race, with the player apparently keen to remain in London.
The £180,000-per-week star is also "ready" to quit Chelsea, meaning it could be just a matter of time before one of the aforementioned clubs seal a deal for him, depending on developments.
How good is Callum Hudson-Odoi?
On loan at Bayer Leverkusen last season, Hudson-Odoi struggled to make an impact, scoring just one goal and assisting one other in 21 total appearances.
However, the Englishman is still only young, and maybe a fresh opportunity away from Chelsea is exactly what is needed to reignite his career.
Chelsea legend and two-time manager Frank Lampard tipped him to be "huge" in 2019, going on to call him an "incredible player".
“I know what a player he is," said Lampard to the media.
"He can be an incredible player and he has improvement to make and I want to work with him to do it. But for that he needs to stay longer at the club and of course that then goes to a decision between him and the club itself. I can see him being a huge player for us.”
Meanwhile, members of the media like FourFourTwo writer Mark White have revered Hudson-Odoi for his "unbelievable vision" whilst calling Hudson-Odoi "special".
"Hudson-Odoi is special," said White in 2022.
"He can breeze past full-backs and has unbelievable vision. But what was mad about him from a young age was the sheer mentality. The confidence. The control. He exuded a vibe like nothing ever seen in English football."
