Omari Hutchinson shares huge transfer update as Ipswich Town prepare £20m bid

Omari Hutchinson has reflected on his loan experience at Ipswich Town, explaining how much it has helped him mature both on and off the pitch.

The 20-year-old spent the 2023/24 season at Portman Road and played a key role in the Tractor Boys’ promotion to the top level for the first time in 22 years. Hutchinson scored 10 goals and assisted six times for Ipswich in 44 Championship games, and Kieran McKenna, who recently signed a new contract with the East Anglian club, wants to bring him back on a permanent basis.

Ipswich are willing to pay £20 million to sign Hutchinson in football.Despite the winger’s recent one-year contract extension at Chelsea, London understands. To protect his value above all else, the Blues exercised an option to extend his contract by another year.

The Jamaican international got his first taste of senior football while playing for Ipswich. And it sounds like Hutchinson’s experience at Portman Road was invaluable.

“It was a great season and a great year,” Hutchinson added. “From the moment I walked into the building, all the boys were on it. They instilled in me a lot of confidence throughout training, which I carried into my matches. We demonstrated unwavering determination and ruthlessness, maintained our composure, and advanced to the Premier League.

“The culture was about humility, willingness to work for the team, and wearing the badge since it’s a community club. All of the fans adore the club, and you must represent the badge with distinction while remaining humble.

“I’d say that was the ideal loan move; you couldn’t get much better, could you? Getting a promotion was the ideal situation.

“My aims were to join the squad, receive as many minutes and experience as possible from my colleagues and the management, and that turned out to be the case. I just wanted to support the squad as much as possible.”

He went on to say, “It was a big step up from Under-21 football.” It was my first time living by myself, which was unusual. I’m excellent in my personal space, though, and my family is really supportive. I always saw them at every game.

“In men’s football, you have fans on your side when you’re not performing and behind you when you’re winning. You’re on TV, and there are a lot of people watching. There is a significant difference, but being in a winning environment is really beneficial for a young player to see and experience the winning feeling.

“I acquired a lot of experience at Chelsea, but it’s not the same being in a first-team dressing room every week. You are observing what they are doing as extras, and they are mature guys. They must take care of themselves, including what they eat and how they use saunas. These insights were quite helpful to me.

“Even just speaking to the older players and learning about their experiences from other clubs and what they had to go through and all the sacrifices they made was really important for me.”

While Ipswich are interested in re-signing Hutchinson, they are not alone. VfB Stuttgart are particularly interested in the Chelsea winger, football.Hutchinson recently visited the MHPArena, so London is aware.

Ajax and Feyenoord have also showed interest in Hutchinson and his representatives. In any case, the former Arsenal youth looks certain to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.