Bayern will resume Hudson-Odoi pursuit, Rummenigge confirms

Callum Hudson-Odoi will still be a transfer target for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, confirmed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Published : Feb 02, 2019 10:35 IST

Bayern Munich's executive board chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has indicated that Callum Hudson-Odoi will again be a top target for the Bundesliga champion when the transfer window re-opens.
Bayern Munich's executive board chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has indicated that Callum Hudson-Odoi will again be a top target for the Bundesliga champion when the transfer window re-opens.
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Bayern Munich's executive board chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has indicated that Callum Hudson-Odoi will again be a top target for the Bundesliga champion when the transfer window re-opens.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed Bayern Munich still wants to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea.

Bayern's pursuit of the teenager saw the Premier League side reject a series of bids during the January transfer window as sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic failed to complete a deal.

Maurizio Sarri said the Blues board assured him Hudson-Odoi would not be sold in January and criticised Bayern's approach for the attacker.

RELATED| Bayern ends Hudson-Odoi chase

But Bayern's executive board chairman Rummenigge indicated Hudson-Odoi will again be a top target for the Bundesliga champion when the window re-opens.

"I guess Hasan is a bit like [Bayern president] Uli [Hoeness]," Rummenigge told Goal and Spox .

"We also had transfers in the past that didn't work at the first attempt but at the second. And that's what we will work on now.

"To lay down a marker costs money. We want the best quality players here at Bayern and Hasan is absolutely convinced of that player."

Bayern is expected to lose veteran wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the end of the season. But with Alphonso Davies already on board and Benjamin Pavard set to join from Stuttgart for 2019-20, Rummenigge feels Bayern is in a position to continue its Bundesliga dominance.

"I am not worried about Bayern's future. We already have a good team which fights for the championship and we also will be fighting for it next year," Rummenigge added.

"We've already done the first rebuilding phase by integrating young players like [Joshua] Kimmich, [Serge] Gnabry or [Kingsley] Coman. They are doing well this season. Phase two will follow in summer and then we'll see if we need a third phase."

Bayern goes to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer unable to make the trip due to a hand injury sustained in training.

RELATED| Neuer out of Bayer Leverkusen game

The champion has a six-point deficit to make up on league leader Borussia Dortmund, but Rummenigge feels the title race will go the distance. "We don't want to chase Dortmund but we want to offer an exciting fight for the title," he said.

"This is the most emotional title race in years and I have big respect for Borussia Dortmund.

"They are six points ahead and are stable but we'll try to win our games and then see if we still can make it to the top."

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