Omari Hutchinson set for AC Milan medical as Nottingham Forest loan move with buy option nears completion

The 22-year-old winger has already touched down at Linate Airport, signalling the final stages of a high-profile switch from the Premier League to Serie A. Milan have moved swiftly to secure the former Chelsea and Arsenal academy prospect, who is expected to undergo his medical examinations at La Madonnina clinic on Monday.

According to The Athletic, The deal is structured as a paid loan, reportedly worth €4 million, which includes a non-mandatory purchase option set at €40m.

New AC Milan head coach Ruben Amorim is believed to be a driving force behind the pursuit. Amorim, who is well-acquainted with Hutchinson’s profile from his tenure at Manchester United, believes the winger’s creative output will flourish within a more ball-dominant system at San Siro.

Despite joining Forest for a club-record £37.5m from Ipswich Town just a year ago, Hutchinson has struggled to maintain a consistent starting role under the revolving door of managers at the City Ground.

Hutchinson's departure comes after a frustrating start to the new campaign under Oliver Glasner. The Austrian manager, who replaced Vitor Pereira this summer, has largely favoured a 3-4-2-1 formation that utilises narrow attacking midfielders rather than traditional wide men.

During Forest's recent 2-2 draw at Anfield, Glasner relied on Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye, and Igor Jesus to fill those central creative roles. Consequently, the winger was not even on the bench for the trip to face Liverpool, a clear indication that his future lay elsewhere.

The move represents a swift exit for a player who was touted as one of the Premier League's most exciting young talents upon his arrival at Forest. While he provided eight assists and one goal in 42 appearances during the 2025-26 season, he often found himself sidelined by tactical shifts and internal recruitment disputes.

Nuno Espirito Santo famously left Hutchinson out of the club’s Europa League squad during the first phase of that competition, though the winger did eventually play a vital role in Forest’s survival and their subsequent run to the semi-finals under Pereira.

For Hutchinson, the move to San Siro offers a chance to settle his career after a period of instability. Having moved from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2022 before finding success on loan at Ipswich, the constant movement has hampered his quest for a permanent home.

Despite his long-term contract at Forest running until 2030, the lack of playing time under Glasner - evidenced by his mere 11-minute cameo in the Carabao Cup defeat to Leeds United - made a transfer inevitable.

The Rossoneri are hopeful that the change of scenery and the higher technical ceiling of the Italian top flight will unlock the potential that saw Forest break their transfer record for him.