Reece James has called recently-departed Arsenal youngster Omari Hutchinson a ‘baller’ on his Instagram story after he produced an impressive display for Chelsea against Aston Villa in a friendly on Sunday.
With Premier League football set to return on Boxing Day, teams up and down the land are preparing for that return, with Villa beating Graham Potter’s side 1-0 in Abu Dhabi.
Unai Emery was able to put out a strong XI, whilst the London club fielded a number of young stars, including summer capture Hutchison.
Playing out on the flanks, he was one of Chelsea’s better players, showcasing more threat than his more experienced teammates, such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
During one moment of the game, in the first half, he made a dazzling run from the right flank, cut on to his left before his wicked and curling effort crashed the post.
Yes, it’s a friendly game, but Hutchinson was playing against the likes of Lucas Digne, John McGinn, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara, and he impressed.
Reece James posted on his IG story: ‘Balla. If you don’t know, get to know!!!’
WILL HUTCHINSON EARN STARTS?
The 19-year-old didn’t leave Arsenal for Chelsea to sit on the bench, but start games at Stamford Bridge.
With Bukayo Saka cooking in north London, Fabio Vieira joining in the summer, Emile Smith Rowe ahead of Hutchinson, then, albeit on the other flank, Gabriel Martinelli ahead of the Hale-End product, added with Gabriel Jesus’ arrival.
Then Hutchison would have felt that his game time of playing in Arsenal’s front three would have been limited, but surely Potter will now give him that chance because it’s not like Chelsea are playing well.
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