Negotiations between Arsenal and Hamburg for the 2. Bundesliga club to sign Jordi Osei-Tutu are still in the early stages, according to reports in Germany.

German outlet Abendblatt (via GGFN) report that negotiations between Arsenal and Hamburg are yet to progress, though Hamburg do still remain confident that they’ll be able to complete a deal this summer.

Rumours in the English media that talks were in the advanced stages appear to be wide of the mark, despite Abendblatt confirming Hamburg’s interest in the young right-back.

Fellow youth right-back Vontae Daley-Campbell has already confirmed he’s leaving the club on a free transfer this summer, and Stephan Lichtsteiner is already set to leave. Carl Jenkinson is seemingly being offered out to anyone who will take him, and Hector Bellerin is injured.

As it stands, it doesn’t really make much sense for Arsenal to be selling Osei-Tutu as well.

U18 full-back Zak Swanson could probably fill in for the u23s easily enough, as a right-footed left-back who has played on the right in the past. However, if Jenkinson and Osei-Tutu both left there would be no one to deputise for Ainsley Maitland-Niles until Bellerin’s return.

At the same time, Osei-Tutu needs to play first-team football now. He was a key part of the u23 side that went undefeated in 2019, keeping five clean sheets in his eight appearances, but he’s got all he can from youth football.

It’s time for a promotion, whether that’s with Arsenal or somewhere else.