Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed that Chelsea refused a proposal to include an “option to buy” in their loan agreement with Bayer Leverkusen.

The 21-year-old will spend the season with the Bundesliga club but he says that co-owner Todd Boehly made it clear to him that he wouldn’t sanction a permanent sale:

“It’s definitely different. When a club is trying to get a player [on loan], they always want that option to buy at the end of the season. Todd was saying: ‘Listen, we want you back here. You’re still on the radar of being wanted by the club.’ The way he’s trying to set it up, there are a lot of young players he’s trying to buy for the next few years. It shows he wants to integrate the players into the team and help them develop.”

A whole host of clubs were pursuing Hudson-Odoi in the summer, with interest from the likes of Newcastle, Southampton and Borussia Dortmund. Manchester United reportedly even considered an approach for the England international.

However, the winger opted to make the switch to Leverkusen instead. He has started four out of five games for the German team, although he has only been on the winning side once so far.

Fans will be hoping that Hudson-Odoi flourishes out on loan and realises the huge potential that many believe he possesses, before returning to Stamford Bridge for the start of next season.