Ipswich Town were advised not to make the same error in January about…..
West Brom need to learn from their recent mistakes if they are to push for a top six finish this season
HIGHLIGHTS
- Omari Hutchinson almost joined West Brom in January, but the deal collapsed on transfer deadline day, leaving him frustrated and disappointed.
- West Brom’s failure to secure the deal earlier is indicative of the club’s issues behind the scenes and their financial difficulties.
- The club should learn from this mistake and be more proactive in their transfer business, especially with the upcoming January transfer window approaching.
Omari Hutchinson has performed well for Ipswich Town so far this season.
The forward made the switch to the Tractor Boys during the summer, as part of a loan agreement with Chelsea for the 2023/24 campaign.
A lack of first team opportunities in Mauricio Pochettino’s side meant a temporary exit to the Championship for more consistent game time made sense.
However, Hutchinson has recently opened up on how he almost made the switch to the EFL six months prior to his Portman Road arrival.
The winger was linked with a move to West Brom during the closing stages of the winter window in January earlier this year, but a deal failed to materialise.
What did Omari Hutchinson say about a West Brom move?
The 20-year-old opened up on his potential move to the Baggies, claiming that he was on his way to the club and in the process of signing documents to confirm the move.
However, he was told to turn around and head back to his parent club, as the deal collapsed on transfer deadline day.
“I was making my way up on the motorway when it all broke down,” said Hutchinson, via The Athletic.
“I was in the car with my brother, signing the papers on DocuSign on my phone.
“But not long into the drive, we were told to turn around. I am not too sure why. It was not the best.
“It was frustrating for me. I tried my best to get in the right mindset for the under-21s after that, but I was a bit down.
“It was mentally frustrating. I thought I was going to be playing in the Championship.”
The failure to get this deal over the line is symptomatic of the failures behind the scenes at West Brom, which has led to their financial difficulties.
Albion should have moved to secure this deal earlier than they did, which would’ve given them the time to complete the move for Hutchinson, who has performed well for Ipswich so far this campaign.
West Brom missed out on a play-off place by just three points, so having someone like the Chelsea youngster in the squad instead of Karlan Grant could have been a difference-maker in the fight for a top six finish.
Can West Brom learn from Hutchinson disaster?
West Brom need to learn from this mistake, as leaving their transfer business until the end of the window can leave them in a position where deals don’t get over the line, like in this case.
Grant was not someone who was in Carlos Corberan’s plans, and he clearly would have preferred to have the Chelsea academy player in his squad instead.
Grant was moved on in the summer, with Jeremy Sarmiento coming into the fold in place of Hutchinson, which has worked out well for all parties for the most part.
With the January transfer window looming, the Baggies need to be prepared to act as quickly as possible where they can.
That said, it feels unlikely that they will be able to spend until a takeover is completed but they can still be proactive in lining up potential new additions.
