Chelsea's £62m transfer mistake laid bare amid emotional farewell statement

Callum Hudson-Odoi has called time on his Chelsea career with the 22-year-old making a permanent move to fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest on deadline day

Less than three years ago, rather unbelievably, Chelsea turned down an offer of £70million from Bayern Munich for winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The German outfit wanted to take the winger, who at the time was considered as one of the brightest young attacking talents in world football, on an initial loan deal with an option to make it permanent for £70m. Fast-forward from October 2020 to September 2023 and Hudson-Odoi has just completed a permanent move, understood to be an initial £5m that could eventually rise to £8m, to Nottingham Forest.

The 22-year-old had plenty of interest in his signature after telling Chelsea very early on in the summer of his desire to leave the club permanently. Fulham were front-runners to land Hudson-Odoi for the majority of the window but Forest boss Steve Cooper intervened and helped his club sign the Chelsea man, with the two having a strong relationship.

"It's massive for me to be here and I can't wait to get started," Hudson-Odoi said after penning a three-year contract at the City Ground. "It's a new chapter for me. I know a couple of the boys already which was a big thing for me, and I know obviously know the manager well, so it's nice to be here and see familiar faces around."

The three-time England international was once one of the shining lights of Chelsea, known around Europe for his speed, trickiness and direct running. A really exciting winger. The talent has not disappeared – that isn't how it works.

But the challenge for him now is trying to showcase that on a consistent basis in a Forest side that has a lot of