Chelsea’s busy transfer summer window continues with not only the first team but also the academy making some vital additions. One such addition is Omari Hutchinson. After sealing the transfers of Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling, Chelsea have strengthened their future prospects by signing bitter rivals Arsenal’s Omari Hutchinson. The two clubs have agreed on an undisclosed fee.
WHO IS OMARI HUTCHINSON?
Hutchinson actually started his footballing career with Chelsea and was a part of their youth program a decade ago. Charlton Athletic spotted him playing football in the Addicks car park and signed him. His brother, Oshaye, was also a part of their youth team. While at Charlton, Arsenal were impressed by him in a match against them.
But after his two-year stay with Charlton, Hutchinson had with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford but couldn’t make a breakthrough. He took a year-long break from academy football to play futsal with his friends before the Gunners rekindled their interest and asked him to join their under-12 team in 2015 which he accepted.
At the age of twelve, Omari took part in a South London footballing tournament hosted by the three-time World Cup winner Pele and earned plaudits from Pele himself. He was then invited by football content creators F2Freestylers to star in their YouTube video.
WHAT IS HIS STYLE OF PLAY?
We can see large traces of futsal along with quick feet, bundles of confidence and a knack for long-range goals. All of these attributes could be seen in this goal against Chelsea.
Omari Hutchinson goal v Chelsea last season. 💥pic.twitter.com/Io5bStAGr6
— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) July 15, 2022
As he puts it while speaking to Goal.com in 2021, “I’ve always been known as a little skiller. I would say half of it has come from futsal. But also when I was younger, I used to do skills in my front room, in my garden and in my kitchen. Straight after school I would get changed and do skills. I loved it.”
Omari operates as a wide forward allowing himself to be an outlet for his team. His trickery allows his side to win a lot of fouls and has a great vision for perfect passes. Hutchinson is also excellent in delivering great set pieces which allow his team to bring in a different kind of threat. 17 goals and 16 assists in the past three seasons is a very decent output for a young player like him.
He has also represented England in the U17s and U19s games and was called up to the Jamaican national team in May 2022, making his debut in a 6–0 loss to Catalonia in the same month.
HOMECOMING FOR HUTCHINSON
Despite signing his first professional contract with Arsenal and making the bench for his senior team for the first time in their 1–0 FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest, Omari Hutchinson has taken the step to join Chelsea.
The Blues have also shown great confidence in this young talent by giving him the number 7 shirt and have emphasized what a great future he has ahead of him.
Hutchinson is still very much in the early stages of his development. He needs to add more physicality if he dreams to play in the Premier League, which is renowned for its physical nature. He will need to adapt to the very demanding nature of Thomas Tuchel who expects his team and players to play in a certain manner as well.
Omari Hutchinson’s move to Chelsea has been confirmed. pic.twitter.com/T7InOTdLms
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) July 16, 2022
It is clear that he has possibly been given some assurances to play with the first team because that is the exact reason why he left Arsenal in the place. It will be a tough task for him to break into the first team given there is a long list of players ahead of him. But if anything his intrigue about how will play in professional football and perform could prove a bonus as Thomas might want to test out Hutchinson’s development.
Omari Hutchinson will need to give him the chances to play in the first team as this is the exact reason why many youth prodigies have left the club for first-team opportunities. Likewise, Omari needs to be patient in order to get his chances and if all goes according to plan then possibly Chelsea do have a gem on their hands!
