Arsenal are eyeing a surprise deal to sign Nottingham Forest winger Omari Hutchinson this summer, according to Sports Boom.
The Gunners bolstered their squad with a number of signings last year, including forwards Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyokeres, which has propelled them to the top of the Premier League, as well as the Carabao Cup final and eight wins from eight games in the Champions League to finish top of the League Phase.
But Mikel Arteta is still keen to make further additions to his side at the end of the season to ensure that they continue to improve, rather than stagnate, and Hutchinson has emerged as someone they are taking a close look at.
Arsenal Eyeing Cut-Price Hutchinson Deal
Hutchinson, who became the most expensive player in Nottingham Forest’s history when he signed from Ipswich in a £37.5m deal last summer, has had a mixed campaign himself so far.
The explosive winger has started just nine times in the Premier League so far, with a further nine appearances from the bench, and was left out of the club’s Europa League squad initially, but has still managed to net one goal and register four assists in all competitions.
Arsenal are said to be keeping a close eye on his situation, knowing that he graduates as a ‘homegrown player’ after coming through their academy as a youngster, while they also realise that he could prove to be a bargain should Forest get relegated.
The north London giants view him as a high-value opportunity signing, and while there are no talks ongoing and no bid has been made, he is someone they are keen on should the opportunity arise.
Forest value Hutchinson as a key player for their long-term future, and points to his contract, which runs until 2030, as a reason for their value being set at around £60m. However, it’s understood that they may be forced to chop that down significantly if they can’t avoid the drop, which is where Arsenal could make a move.
Hutchinson Would Block Nwaneri and Dowman
While Arsenal are always looking to strengthen the squad, new signings doesn’t necessarily mean improvement, and that would be the case here.
Hutchinson is a very talented young forward, but Arsenal already have players like Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman coming through the ranks, who play in that position, are younger, and arguably are already better than him.
Bringing in a player for a big fee would only block their pathways, and Arsenal would then risk losing them or stagnating their development as a result. For the right player, it could be worth it, but Hutchinson isn’t that, and this feels like a weird deal for all involved.