With ten goals and six assists, Omari Hutchinson had a fantastic season while on loan at Ipswich Town, where he was instrumental in the Tractor Boys’ promotion to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old started eleven of twelve games to end the season, including the last nine in a row, after potential new Chelsea head coach Kieran McKenna didn’t instantly trust him in crucial situations. This came after the youngster scored multiple goals while coming off the bench.
His parting speech to the club seemed to debunk initial expectations that Hutchinson would return to Ipswich for next season as well, which has alerted rival teams to his prospective availability.
Vfb Stuttgart is reportedly “set their sights” on the teenage winger and is seeking to loan him out for next season, making them the most prominent of these clubs. According to Sky Deutschland, Borussia Mönchengladbach is reportedly interested, while the Mirror suggests that Feyenoord and Eredivisie duo Ajax (who finished in fifth place?!) are also on the radar. On the other hand, I would not be surprised if Hutchinson found interest from numerous clubs in England’s top two divisions.
It is completely unclear whether Chelsea would also be included on that list. There are now about one million wingers in the league, and Hutchinson is one of them. His contract only has one year left, so unless he signs an extension, we can’t talk about loans for him. In light of our uncertain financial situation regarding PSR and FFP, particularly with regard to the latter as a result of UEFA’s stricter regulations, the braintrust may also view him as a delightful source of pure profit. Although the “undisclosed fee” would make a small impact in the calculations, he isn’t precisely a product of the Academy; he (re-)joined at the age of 18 from Arsenal after departing at a young age.
It looks like we’ll have to keep an eye on Hutchinson from a distance for at least another season, whether he’s here on loan or permanently.