Chelsea FC faces Fulham in a preseason friendly that takes the southwest London derby to the capital of the United States of America. And it’s another friendly that features an ongoing transfer saga between the two teams involved, in Callum Hudson-Odoi. The Blues winger and English international could be on the move, albeit for only a very short distance (2.6 miles).
Hudson-Odoi could run the distance in between the two venues in about 15 minutes. Here’s the latest on the transfer saga, via CBS Sports Ben Jacobs:
Fulham in advanced talks with Chelsea for Callum Hudson-Odoi. A target all summer, as previously revealed. Player also keen on the move. No fee agreed as of yesterday, but Fulham pretty optimistic. #CFC had asked for £8m.? pic.twitter.com/j8Qm5ocWHL
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 28, 2023
Premier League Summer Series FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. Jul 30, 2:45 EST, FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Chelsea Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Watch: Peacock, NBC
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Series History: Chelsea FC wins 50 Draws 27 Fulham 12
Team News for Both Sides
Fulham are hoping to get Hudson-Odoi for just £4m if they can, so we’ll see what happens there. Moving on to fitness issues, Noni Madueke is the only concern for Chelsea, as he sat out last time due to a tight hamstring.
This knock here sees him classified as a doubt for the Sunday afternoon matinee.
Switching over to Fulham, Joao Palhinha will miss some time with a shoulder injury, which is suspected to be a dislocation. Finally, Aleksandr Mitrovic will likely not be involved at all, due to the transfer rumor mill swirling about him.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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