Reunion: Ipswich eyeing dream Hutchinson alternative

With this summer signing, Ipswich Town could shift their focus away from Omari Hutchinson.

Ipswich Town fans will be excited about the Premier League season ahead, especially with the transfer window beginning in a matter of days and the possibility of a lot of business coming through the door at Portman Road.

Ipswich have lately been linked with a move for Lewis O’Brien, but after realising Ben Sheaf may be too pricey to sign, they may now put their sights on another target, as speculation about Omari Hutchinson returning to Suffolk fades.

If Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys are finally unsuccessful in their attempts to re-sign the Chelsea winger, they might try again with a different loan star, who would undoubtedly make fans forget about Hutchinson’s spell at Stamford Bridge.

Ipswich eyeing transfer reunion for 30-year-old gem

According to the Daily Mail, the newly promoted club wants to bring Tom Lawrence back to Portman Road this summer, after the 30-year-old had a successful loan spell there earlier in his career.

The former Manchester United academy product will receive numerous bids, with Sheffield United and even Besiktas in Turkey, who are led by the forward’s ex-Gers manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst.

Ipswich would undoubtedly be his ideal destination in an attempt to turn back the clock, while also providing the talented winger with the opportunity to flaunt his stuff in the Premier League before retiring.

The Welshman could also be a dream Hutchinson replacement to officially end that ongoing transfer story, having dazzled at various EFL clubs as an experienced and entertaining attacker to watch, as opposed to Hutchinson’s brief but sweet spell at Portman Road.

How Lawrence would fit into the Ipswich team

Lawrence, like his Chelsea counterpart, can play anywhere in the offensive positions behind the striker, including down both flanks and as a number 10 if necessary.

The 30-year-old would even score for Rangers this season, having moved from second striker to score in the Europa League against Benfica, giving Ipswich another versatile option moving forward if he does sign.

Lawrence, however, excelled as an out-and-out winger during his first tenure with Ipswich, scoring 22 goals in just 36 games, nine of which came from the left wing.

Hutchinson’s total contributions fall just short of 17 from 14 further appearances, with Lawrence needing to return to his old Tractor Boys form to take this opportunity, ahead of an enormous test in the Premier League if he is signed.

It could be argued that Hutchinson has youth on his side when compared to Lawrence, despite the table above revealing how much more effective the departing Rangers man was at Portman Road, but the experienced asset has proven himself as a dangerous attacker elsewhere, with Derby County fans remembering him fondly in England.

Lawrence was described as “wonderful” for the Rams by football journalist Josh Bunting, and he scored 62 goals in 185 games at Pride Park before moving to Ibrox.

Tom Lawrence scored this SENSATIONAL individual goal for Derby to lift them off the bottom of the Championship table 👏👏

TAKE A BOW. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZUS4IYOSEv

— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) January 17, 2022

All of these exploits for the Rams would occur despite Derby suffering at the bottom of the Championship during portions of his time there, with Ipswich being in need of some firepower up front in their prospective struggle against the drop, as a battle for Lawrence’s services heated up.