Breaking: Omari Hutchinson Returning To Chelsea

Omari Hutchinson, the Blues’ Young Player of the Year, has apparently been called back to his parent club, Chelsea.

The 20-year-old had an extremely successful season on loan with the Blues, scoring 11 goals in his first complete season of senior football.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea has informed the Jamaica international that they want him back at the club next week to run the rule over him in training and discuss his future.

Town fans, as well as manager Kieran McKenna, have made it clear that they want him back at Portman Road next season, while the player himself was non-committal when asked after Saturday’s game, despite earlier stating that he would welcome a return in 2024/25.

Other clubs in the UK and Europe are thought to be interested in loaning Hutchinson, who has a year left on his Chelsea deal but has the option to extend it for another season.

According to reports last week, they were trying to offer him new terms, but talks on a new contract have yet to take place, and Chelsea will need to sell players this summer to comply with the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Whether Hutchinson, who is thought to be worth approximately £20 million, is among them remains to be seen, with a number of Europe’s top teams previously linked and his time at Town closely observed.

Ipswich Town’s manager, Kieran McKenna, is celebrating his birthday next week. He was asked at Ipswich’s end of the season award show what he would want Mark Ashton, the owner, to buy for him as a present.

His response, “Omari!!” 😂#CFC #ITFC pic.twitter.com/03FX3sp1yu

— Chelsea Loan Army (@ChelseaIoanArmy) May 7, 2024

However, as things stand, the former Arsenal academy player is due to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States in July, with decisions over his future likely to follow.

Town can only loan two players in the Premier League, forcing boss McKenna to make painful selections.

However, speaking after Saturday’s game, the Blues manager stated that he would prefer to keep some of this season’s loan players with the club.

“For sure, it’s a special group,” he remarked. “We had success with that last year, keeping the group together, bringing in someone like George [Hirst] on loan, and how he’s progressed.

“Of course, we’ll look at all possibilities, we’ll build a squad as strong as we can but the players we’ve had in on loan this year have been an absolute credit to themselves and have been a really big part of the group.”

Fellow forward Jeremy Sarmiento impressed on his half-season loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, and when he joined in January, it was rumored in Ecuador that the loan could be extended for a second season.