Arsenal are making a Gnabry-like transfer mistake by letting Omari Hutchinson join Chelsea – opinion

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Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed yesterday that Arsenal wonderkid Omari Hutchinson will sign for Chelsea on a permanent deal this summer.

The 18-year-old is one of the Gunners’ finest young talents. He scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 17 starts for Arsenal’s under-23s last season, and many fans expected him to follow the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe into the first team.

Hutchinson regularly trained with the senior Arsenal squad last season. He even made the bench on 10 occasions, and with the Europa League back at the Emirates now, he was very likely to get an opportunity.

However, it looks like the teenager has decided to give that up for a move to a different club.

• ‘It’s done’: Fabrizio Romano has some really bad news for Arsenal fans

Arsenal wonderkid Omari Hutchinson is set to sign for Chelsea

Hutchinson, who is represented by super-agent Kia Joorabchian’s Sports Invest UK Ltd, was locked in talks with Arsenal over a new contract for months. Many expected that to be a formality as the youngster has been at the club since his under-9s days.

However, Hutchinson has now decided to find himself a new home.

Romano revealed yesterday that the teenager’s move to Chelsea is ‘done’ after talks with Arsenal over a new deal collapsed. The Blues are set to announce the signing very soon.

“Chelsea have signed another talent for the future. After Zak Sturge deal, Chelsea will soon announce Omari Hutchinson as new signing – he’s set to leave Arsenal. Talks collapsed with #AFC on new deal, Hutchinson will join Chelsea as @TheSecretScout_ reports. It’s done,” Romano tweeted yesterday.

A Serge Gnabry-like transfer mistake

Arsenal have a terrible record of letting fantastic young players go for little or no money, only to regret it later.

Over the years, the Gunners have let the likes of Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Donyell Malen and Ismael Bennacer leave, but the one that hurts Arsenal fans the most is Serge Gnabry, who couldn’t be convinced to stay and was sold to Werder Bremen for just £4.2 million in 2016 (ESPN).

The German, now at Bayern Munich, has become a superstar. He has won multiple league titles and also the Champions League, and he’s one player almost every Arsenal fan wishes would come back to the club.

Gnabry was linked with a return to Arsenal this summer, but that won’t happen now as the 27-year-old has reportedly agreed to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich instead.

Hutchinson definitely has the potential to become a big star in a few years’ time, and Arsenal could well end up regretting their decision to not beat Chelsea’s offer – just like how they have been regretting not convincing Gnabry to stay six years ago.

• Photo: ‘Amazing’ Arsenal wonderkid who’s ‘more exciting than Saka’ was with Neymar in Paris