19-year-old may have made a huge mistake leaving Arsenal, he had a nightmare deadline day – opinion

By Ben Evans

Omari Hutchinson left Arsenal last summer but after January’s deadline day, he may now be wishing he hadn’t.

Hutchinson moved across London last year, swapping Arsenal for rivals Chelsea.

However, as The Athletic report, Hutchinson has had a very difficult few days at Stamford Bridge.

At the end of last season, it looked like Hutchinson was about to break into Arsenal’s first team.

There had been reports that Mikel Arteta was going to give him his opportunity in the Europa League.

Two months later, Fabrizio Romano was reporting that Hutchinson was swapping Arsenal for Chelsea.

Chelsea’s head of youth recruitment Jim Fraser said at the time: “We are delighted that Omari has agreed to sign for Chelsea.

“He is a brilliant addition who joins us as an exciting emerging talent hoping to make a quick impression in the senior game.”

Hutchinson has impressed at under-21 level, scoring five times and providing seven assists in Premier League 2.

He made his senior debut against Manchester City in the league, before playing against them again in the FA Cup three days later.

However, Hutchinson may now be wishing he didn’t leave Arsenal after having a nightmare deadline day.

Hutchinson’s awful deadline day after Arsenal departure

The report from The Athletic provides more detail as to why Hutchinson is still at Chelsea for the rest of the season.

‘To get more first-team football though, he [Hutchinson] was ready to play elsewhere for the rest of the season.

‘A number of clubs in the Championship and across Europe expressed an interest but, in the end, West Bromwich Albion emerged as the strong favourites.

‘To bring Hutchinson in, West Brom had to shift out their forward, Karlan Grant.

‘Swansea had spent all month pursuing Grant, but left it to the final stages of the window before making their move, which merely served to confuse matters further.

‘Corberan was still keen to secure Hutchinson only to find progressing that deal was complicated by Chelsea also working on the [Enzo] Fernandez and [Hakim] Ziyech moves, as well as the reality that clubs in the EFL cannot apply for a deal sheet to give them more time.

‘The deadline was 11pm, and it was not met.’

Hutchinson now faces massive competition at Chelsea, path to first-team football is clearer at The Emirates

Although the Fernandez deal was eventually done, Hutchinson and Ziyech were left frustrated.

Graham Potter now has a huge number of attacking players to choose from in the first team.

Hutchinson’s future at Chelsea won’t have been helped by the influx of forwards signed in January.

Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke were both signed this month and are a similar age to Hutchinson.

Meanwhile at Arsenal, Leandro Trossard was the only attacking incoming, and he’s significantly older than Chelsea’s new arrivals.

The opportunities for the 19-year-old now look much clearer at Arsenal, rather than Chelsea.

Hutchinson will now be hoping to put a nightmare deadline day behind him and kick on, while hoping he’s not made a mistake leaving Arsenal.