Callum Hudson-Odoi has been told that trading Chelsea for Bayern Munich should be an “easy decision”, with former England striker Geoff Hurst of the opinion that a move makes sense. A teenage talent currently on the books at Stamford Bridge has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence. While still on the fringes of the Blues fold in January, Goal revealed that he was the subject of a £35 million ($46m) bid from the reigning Bundesliga champions. Chelsea knocked back that interest and remain hopeful of retaining the services of a prized academy graduate, but no new contract has been agreed and the exit talk continues. Hudson-Odoi is now looking to make a senior international debut, having been drafted into Gareth Southgate’s plans for the first time, and an iconic figure from England’s past believes following the likes of Jadon Sancho to Germany could be the best call for a potential Three Lions star of the future. Hat-trick hero from the 1966 World Cup final, Hurst told Grosvenor Sport: “In terms of Hudson-Odoi being linked with Bayern Munich, it makes sense and I’d look at it and think it’s an easy decision for him to make. “If he’s playing for Bayern Munich and does well there, I think he’ll give himself a better chance of becoming a regular for England than if he stays with Chelsea. “Chelsea aren’t developing English players, given the amount they have got and the number who leave on loan and don’t get opportunities. “It would be a lesson learnt again for rich English clubs like Chelsea if a player like Callum rejected their contract offer and moved elsewhere. “But first and foremost, I really hope he does well for England and fingers crossed he can start off his international career in the best possible way – with a win and a good performance.” Hudson-Odoi could be involved in England’s opening Euro 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic on Friday. He has been promoted from the U21 squad by Southgate, with a man who has guided the Three Lions to World Cup and Nations League semi-finals continuing to put his faith in youth. Hurst added: “I’m not surprised to see Callum Hudson-Odoi in the England squad because it’s consistent with what Gareth Southgate has done in his time as England manager – put faith in younger players. “He isn’t afraid to bring in young English players who haven’t got a great deal of experience playing regularly for their clubs in the first team, and Gareth has been pushed into that because of the nature of the Premier League. “Too many English clubs are reluctant to play young players in the league on a regular basis. Chelsea are farming out lots of young talent and when teams do that it presents a problem for Gareth Southgate. “I wasn’t selected for England until I was proving it week in week out with West Ham, but I thought I should have been given an opportunity earlier, so it’s nice to see guys like Hudson-Odoi get the chance to prove it at a young age.”

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has quipped that Pep Guardiola travels to see Sheikh Mansour and shows him videos of a transfer target to get the green light to make a big-money signing for Manchester City. Guardiola was Bayern head coach for three years from 2013 to 2016, winning three Bundesliga titles and two DFB Pokal trophies, and is seemingly still in touch with Hoeness. And the 67-year-old has now claimed that the Spaniard has told him that he flies over to see City owner Sheikh Mansour when he is eager to push through a big transfer, showing him video clips of the player in action. "My friend Pep told me what happens when he wants a player who costs €100 million. He gets some videos of the player and flies to see the Sheikh," Hoeness told MMM. "Then there is an opulent meal, you look over the videos and the Sheikh transfers the sum [needed to complete the deal]. The next day the Sheikh turns the gas on a few millimetres further and he has the money back. "I'm proud that in such cases we [Bayern] aren't going to the credit department but the bank's fixed-income department [instead]." City are expected to be active in the summer transfer window, with the Premier League champions looking to strengthen three to four positions. Guardiola's side are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt, while Ben Chilwell is also being assessed as a potential option at left-back. City and their spending has been under scrutiny in recent years, while they've come under the microscope of UEFA after Der Spiegel and MediaPart, in conjunction with Football Leaks, alleged they broke a number of rules in a bid to circumvent Financial Fair Play regulations. European football's governing body announced earlier in March that its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) is investigating the Premier League leaders, with there being the suggestion they could face a transfer ban. Guardiola, though, has remained unfazed at the prospect, telling reporters: "I am not the right guy to talk about what the club says," he said. "They [the owners] don't call me and explain what they are doing. "I am concerned about what I have to do, I cannot speak every day about this. What is going to happen is going to happen." When asked if City's squad would be good enough as it is should a transfer ban be enforced, the Spaniard responded: "Of course. It is good, it's really good." Next up for City after the international break is an away meeting with Fulham, with the champions currently second in the Premier League table, two points behind Liverpool although with a game in hand.

Bayern Munich star David Alaba has opened the door to a potential move to the Premier League, insisting that he can "imagine" himself playing in England or Spain. The versatile Austria international has played 335 games in all competitions for the Bavarians during his career, carving out a reputation as one of Europe's top left-backs over the years. And despite reaffirming his commitment to the Bayern cause, Alaba says that he could well consider a change in the future, with England's top clubs, as well as Barcelona and Real Madrid, potential options. "I can imagine trying something else but I really feel very comfortable at Bayern," he told Bild. "Every year there a new challenges and new objectives and the pressure will always be there. I'm happy in Munich but of course I can imagine seeing something else [in the future]." When asked which leagues would interest the full-back, he replied: "Spain, England. In Spain it would be the two big clubs, I guess? Real or Barcelona. Also the big clubs [in England]." Alaba also revealed that he was an Arsenal fan growing up and that he remains a supporter even today. He added: "Yes I was [and Arsenal fan as a child]. When you've been Arsenal fan as a kid you will be one your whole life in some way." Bayern are currently locked in a battle for the Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund as they approach the final eight games of the season in Germany. It had seemed as though Niko Kovac's side were destined to fall short in 2018-19 having entered the winter break six points behind Dortmund - the first time in eight years that they had not been leading the standings at that stage of the season. They have since wiped out the deficit, however, and are now level on points with Dortmund and with a healthier goal difference having won their last six Bundesliga games in a row. There will be no more Champions League this season, though, with Bayern having been defeated by Liverpool at the last-16 stage as the Reds secured a 3-1 aggregate win. Next up for the Bavarians after the international break is a trip to Freiburg on March 30 before a DFB Pokal quarter-final clash with Heidenheim four days later.

Thomas Muller has reaffirmed his disappointment about his forced retirement from the Germany national team by coach Joachim Low. Muller and his two Bayern Munich team-mates Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels have been told they will not be considered for the national team again by Low after Germany crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in the group stage, and were also relegated from their Nations League group last autumn. The 29-year-old was the top scorer for Germany at the 2014 World Cup and also won the Golden Boot at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, where he netted five times. However, while Muller remains unhappy with Low's decision to axe him from his future plans, the Bayern forward is determined to look towards the future. "Of course, at first, the DFB message was a negative surprise. But, not only in professional sports, in life in general, the view must be to look forward," Muller told Sport Bild . "I made it clear how it felt for the boys and me, through my video message. I complained about the way he dealt with it and the way I was kicked out. There are emotions and feelings in the football business, but it has to go on." In his original Instagram video, Muller said that the way the situation had been handled was 'not classy' whilst he vented his frustrations on behalf of himself and his team-mates. “Mats, Jerome and I are still capable of playing football on the highest international level," he said earlier in March. "We have had a long and – most of the time – successful career with the DFB and I think it’s not a classy way if prefabricated statements from the DFB are published shortly after we learn about the coach’s decision." Low's new-look Germany squad for the upcoming games against Serbia and Netherlands now includes only one striker, Timo Werner. The RB Leipzig forward led the line for Germany in Russia but failed to find the back of the net in three matches. Muller's focus, meanwhile, is now solely on a domestic double for Bayern this season after the Bavarians were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Liverpool. He added: "Of course, that is now the big goal and also the motivation for what happens next."

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has confirmed that the club will be involved in a summer spending spree as they look to refurbish an ageing squad that endured a poor start to the 2018-19 season. September through until November saw the Bundesliga champions struggle for consistency, with a number of losses and draws seeing Borussia Dortmund rocket up the table to leave Bayern coach Niko Kovac's future hanging in the balance. The Bavarians have since rescued their form somewhat, now matching Dortmund on points in domestic competition, although a recent 3-1 defeat to Liverpool saw them dumped out of the Champions League at the round of 16. Better performances are required from the German giants if they are to lift another European trophy, but with star players such as Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben entering the final years of their careers, new blood may be needed to reach the desired level. Bayern have wrapped up deals for Alphonso Davies and Benjamin Pavard – who will arrive in the summer – while the likes of Leon Goretzka and Corentin Tolisso still have plenty of time to develop, but club supremo Hoeness says it will not end there. “We are in the process of rejuvenating our team,” he said at a brokerage fair in Munich. “It's the biggest investment programme FC Bayern has ever had.” It remains to be seen whether Colombia star James Rodriguez will make his loan move from Real Madrid permanent, but good form at a domestic level this season could force the hand of the money men in Bavaria. “It all depends on what our coach decides," Hoeness recently told Sport1 of James' potential stay in Germany. “If he [Kovac] says he wants James for next season, we'll pay the €42 million. It is up to us what happens. “We have an option we can either trigger before May or not. If we decide that's what we will do, he will have to stay. But we haven't yet made any decision on the subject." In addition, Bayern have been credited with an €80 million bid for Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, while Atletico Madrid's World Cup winner Lucas Hernandez and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi are said to remain on the club's transfer wish-list.