Medical scheduled as Ipswich Town close in on Chelsea transfer agreement

Omari Hutchinson is on the verge of becoming the Tractor Boys’ latest addition this summer

Ipswich Town are expected to be bang in the Championship play-off mix this season despite being a newly-promoted side from League One, which is a testament to the work that Kieran McKenna has done in getting the best out of his squad.

The Tractor Boys were goal machines in the third tier last year, scoring 101 times on their way to automatic promotion, but that does not mean that they will not be adding to their attacking options this summer.

George Hirst has returned permanently from Leicester City for £1.5 million following last season’s loan stint at Portman Road, but attentions have now turned to the attacking positions behind the striker.

Despite adding Nathan Broadhead to their ranks in January, McKenna has been looking into the addition of a player who can play through the middle in the number 10 role and also on the right-hand side as competition for Wes Burns and Marcus Harness.

And McKenna now looks to have landed his man as according to Ipswich site TWTD, a deal has been agreed for Chelsea teenager Omari Hutchinson to join the Suffolk outfit on a season-long loan deal.

Town’s interest was first reported in Hutchinson a few days ago as it emerged he was on a list of targets, but now terms have been agreed for the 19-year-old to spend his first year away from the Blues to get regular first-team minutes, and he will now undergo a medical this afternoon to complete the move.

Hutchinson had somewhat of a mixed youth career by spending it at Chelsea, Charlton Athletic and then Arsenal, and in 2022 he was snapped up by Chelsea once again from the Gunners for an undisclosed fee.

His performances for the Blues’ under-21’s last season led to him getting a chance in the first-team under Graham Potter in January, playing twice against Manchester City in the Premier League and FA Cup.

There was a plan to loan Hutchinson out to Championship side West Bromwich Albion in January for the remainder of the season, which would have seen the teen gain much-needed experience in the men’s game on a weekly basis.

However, Hutchinson was a sufferer in a domino effect which saw Karlan Grant’s move to Swansea City collapse, thus he remained at Stamford Bridge for the rest of the season.

Hutchinson scored seven times and notched seven assists in 21 outings for Chelsea’s under-21’s in the Premier League 2 competition, and now he will graduate from developmental football full-time in order to experience the rigours of the Championship.

Where will Omari Hutchinson fit in at Ipswich?

McKenna will obviously want to give every part of his successful squad from last season a chance in the Championship, but Hutchinson’s best chance of game-time will come on the right flank in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Conor Chaplin will have the number 10 spot locked up, and Hutchinson’s imminent arrival gives McKenna an inside forward option on the right as opposed to an out and out winger which Wes Burns was playing as last season.

You can assume that Chelsea have been given reassurances regarding Hutchinson’s game-time as well by Town, so expect the two-cap Jamaica international to receive plenty of game-time at Portman Road in the 2023-24 season.