Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has joined Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen on a season-long loan deal.
The 21-year-old will spent the 2022-23 campaign with the German side, although it is understood that the Blues have the option to recall the Englishman in January.
Hudson-Odoi has been allowed to leave Stamford Bridge on a temporary basis after falling down the pecking order under head coach Thomas Tuchel.
The London-born winger, who will wear the No.17 shirt, becomes Leverkusen's second signing of the summer window after the £11.7m arrival of Adam Hlozek from Sparta Prague.
Speaking to the club's official website on his arrival at the BayArena, Hudson-Odoi said: "I'm definitely excited. I think it's a new experience for me – I haven't been anywhere else but Chelsea, so coming here, I'm delighted to be here and I can't wait to get started with the boys, get going and hopefully do well.
Weitere Infos zum Transfer von @Calteck10 gibt's hier:
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) August 30, 2022
👉 https://t.co/EqNyQXB76K#Bayer04 | #Werkself
"The project [is attractive]. I said to the family that I want to go out there and make sure that I'm playing football and get the opportunity to play in front of great fans. It's massive for me to come here.
"The move to Germany is really exciting for me and I can play in the Champions League with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. That combination is really attractive and I'm keen to get to know the club, the fans and the Bundesliga.
"Kai Havertz (who spent 10 years with Leverkusen before joining Chelsea in 2020) only had good things to say about it to me in the Chelsea dressing room."
Sporting managing director Simon Rolfes added: "We have signed a fast and penetrative winger in Callum Hudson-Odoi. He has everything to be able to help us immediately.
"Callum has played over 100 games for Chelsea and proven himself in the Premier League as well as in the Champions League. This will give our attacking game another special component. We're very happy this transfer has gone through."
.@Calteck10 wird bei der #Werkself mit der Nummer 17 auflaufen.
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) August 30, 2022
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Hudson-Odoi joined Chelsea as a seven-year-old back in 2007 and worked his way through the club's youth ranks before making his senior debut in January 2018.
The winger has since made a total 126 first-team appearances for the West Londoners across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and providing 22 assists.
Hudson-Odoi could make his debut for Leverkusen when they welcome Freiburg to the BayArena for their Bundesliga encounter on Saturday.
Leverkusen have also announced that goalkeeper and club captain Lukas Hradecky has signed a contract extension until the summer of 2026.
Meanwhile, teenage starlet and Spanish Under-19 international Iker Bravo has joined La Liga champions Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal, with the forward set to link up with the club's reserve team.
Oliver Thomas
