Bayern Munich want Callum Hudson-Odoi as their big statement signing

All lips remained politely sealed on Sunday evening, as speculation over Callum Hudson-Odoi's long-awaited move to Bayern Munich boiled over once again.

In London, Hudson-Odoi flat-batted the BBC after scoring in Chelsea's FA Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday.

'I can't say anything. I just keep working hard, and you never know what happens,' he said, when asked whether the game had been his last in a Chelsea shirt.

A few hours earlier in Munich, Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic had been equally coy, telling reporters at the Allianz Arena that they should wait until tomorrow.

'I won't say anything today, but maybe tomorrow. I'll say something when there is something to say,' Salihamidzic told goal.com.

Nothing to report, then? A likely story. For all the tight lips in the world, it appears that Chelsea's 18-year-old winger is closer than ever to signing for Germany's biggest club.

Having bubbled away for most of the winter, the Hudson-Odoi transfer saga exploded this weekend. The teenager is reported to have put in a transfer request at Stamford Bridge, while Bayern look to seal the deal before the transfer window closes this week.

Perhaps spooked by a late bid by RB Leipzig, Bayern are reportedly ready to shell out as much as £40m for Hudson-Odoi. Leipzig, who have been lurking on the fringes of this transfer drama for a while, are said to have dangled a £23m offer complete with a buy-back clause in front of Chelsea.

That will certainly have turned heads in West London, where they will be reluctant to give up their teenage star forever. It may even be a better move for Hudson-Odoi himself, who is more likely to get game time in Saxony than he is in Bavaria.

Yet Bayern are unlikely to allow Leipzig to pip them to the post. They have marked the Chelsea youngster as their biggest target, and will be operating on a familiar premise: if they don't get him, nobody does.

This, after all, appears to be as much about status as anything else. It is about showing that Bayern Munich are still boss in the Bundesliga.

Six points behind Borussia Dortmund and mired in a period of transition, Bayern's pride is looking a little bruised of late. It doesn't help that Dortmund's success has been built in no small part on the explosive brilliance of Jadon Sancho, a player who Bayern themselves overlooked.

While the rest of the Bundesliga has gone mad for English talent of late, Bayern have been left behind. Sancho, after all, is just one of many British teenagers to have headed for Germany in recent years.

Ademola Lookman enjoyed an impressive six months at RB Leipzig last year, while Reiss Nelson has delighted fans at Hoffenheim this season. Even the unhappier tales of Oliver Burke and Kaylen Hinds have not been enough to put off German clubs. This week, Schalke are reportedly set to sign or Manchester City youngster Rabbi Matondo.

With Hudson-Odoi, Bayern hope to redress the balance, and ensure that the next big thing from Britain ends up in Munich.

More than that, the signing appears to have become a personal crusade for Salihamidzic, Bayern's beleaguered sporting director.

The Bosnian has borne the brunt of criticism for Bayern's current travails. Though widely liked, many consider him to be out of his depth, and expect him to be the fall guy if things go wrong.

Against this relentless barrage of doubters, Salihamidzic is determined to prove his worth, and show that he is the man who can orchestrate the generational shift at Bayern. Having secured World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard and Canadian talent Alphonso Davies, Hudson-Odoi would be a final triumph in the January window for Salihamidzic.

All of them, of course, are gambles. Pavard has been plagued by injury and poor form this season, while Davies is untested in Europe. Hudson-Odoi, for all his quality, would also face a fight to get past Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry.

So is he really worth £40m? Only time will tell. For now, Bayern are just keen to get the deal done.

In Munich, eyes are peeled and pens primed for an announcement on Monday, but even if it takes a little longer, Bayern won't mind. They have waited long enough for Callum Hudson-Odoi, they can wait another day or two.