Chelsea transfer news: Gianfranco Zola urges Callum Hudson-Odoi to reject Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are reportedly very interested in signing the young winger

Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola has urged Callum Hudson-Odoi to be patient at the club following reports of bids from Bayern Munich.

Hudson-Odoi could be tempted to join the Bundesliga champions given the success Jadon Sancho is enjoying since switching England for Germany and game time at Stamford Bridge looks increasingly unlikely following Chelsea's agreed £58m deal to sign Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund.

On the proposed move, Zola said: “I know Bayern are interested in him, but we’re interested in him as well. We’ve proposed with him a contract for a while, so we’re waiting to see what the player thinks about that.

“We certainly value him as a player. He hasn’t played as much as he probably wants to but I hope Callum is using this time in a wise way.

“It will do a very good thing for his football. Hopefully he’ll sign a contract with us,” he added.

Zola feels confident that the hot prospect will continue improving and become the player many believe he is capable of being.

Hudson-Odoi has only played one Premier League match so far this season but the Italian assistant manager hopes he stays focused and professional.

“For an 18-year-old, he’s got a lot of potential. You have to understand the journey’s not finished. He’s at an age where it’s very important to keep a good attitude and you need to use these years to keep improving.”

The Chelsea winger has been attracting interest from Bayern Munich (Getty)

He continued: “He has the potential to become a top player but he has to keep having an open mind to improve and get better day by day.”

Chelsea host Championship side Nottingham Forest on Saturday in search of a response following their dire display against Southampton last weekend. Despite Zola’s side being in the league above, he refuses to underestimate the opposition.

“Although we have a good record against them, it’s a team we need to respect,” said Zola. “They have some good players and the type of players that can cause problems.”

Debates surrounding the FA Cup are common, with many suggesting the tournament has lost its importance for the bigger clubs, but Zola, a two-time winner of the competition during his playing days at Stamford Bridge, disagrees.

“We respect this competition so we’re going to try to do well,” he said. “It’s a pity this game comes in a period where we have to play so many games. There will be rotations. We have some injuries and players are not going to be available like Willian, Giroud and Pedro.

“Obviously this will leave space for some of our young players. Also, you have to consider there are players who have played five games in a row in a very short space of time.