Fulham up the ante in race for Callum Hudson-Odoi

Lazio's hopes of securing a deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi have been dashed after Premier League side Fulham entered the race to sign the midfielder. Reports today suggest that the Blues have accepted a £4.5 million bid from the Cottagers for a player that has just one year remaining on his current deal.

The Stamford Bridge side had been locked in talks with Serie A team Lazio for over three weeks regarding a move for Hudson-Odoi, but have been unable to agree a fee. Lazio were hoping to sign the player for around 2.8 million euros, some way off of Chelsea's valuation.

With Fulham still undergoing major squad updates this summer, a move for Hudson-Odoi would provide welcome respite amidst rumours that João Palhinha could depart for West Ham and Aleksandar Mitrović continues to be linked with a major deal to Saudi Arabia. Fulham have been slow, but active in the transfer market, and Hudson-Odoi remains a player that the club have sought to sign for several seasons.