Omari Hutchinson makes Chelsea transfer stance clear after Ipswich Premier League promotion
Chelsea loanee Omari Hutchinson has expressed his desire to return to Ipswich Town next season after aiding the club in ending their 22-year absence from the Premier League.
Hutchinson scored as Ipswich beat Huddersfield Town and secured back-to-back promotions on Saturday. The youngster added to Wes Burns' breakthrough at Portman Road, defeating the Terriers 2-0 and securing the Championship's second automatic promotion spot, reported the Express.
The Tractor Boys were considered the underdogs in an exciting three-way race for Premier League football, alongside Leicester City and Leeds United. Kieran McKenna had previously led the team to promotion from League One, while Leicester and Leeds were hoping for an immediate return to the top flight.
However, while the former clinched the top spot, Hutchinson played a crucial role in Ipswich securing a second-place finish, leaving Leeds to face the dreaded play-offs. The 20-year-old joined Ipswich on loan from Chelsea last summer for regular football, having made his first two senior appearances in the 2022/23 season.
Starting the season as a substitute, Hutchinson quickly established himself as a regular starter. He recorded 11 goals and six assists in 50 appearances throughout the campaign, leading to suggestions that Mauricio Pochettino could utilise him at Stamford Bridge next term.
Despite partying hard after Ipswich Town's promotion, the club's Jamaica ace confirmed he is eager to stick with the club for their triumphant return to the Premier League. In response to questions about his future plans with Ipswich, he mentioned: "I hope so. I don't know."
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"I'll have to see what my agent is saying and what the manager is saying and then go from there," he continued. "I don't know. I just want to celebrate at the moment."
Town boss Paul Cook, who has openly admired Hutchinson's contributions in recent months, will likely be more than happy to have him back at Portman Road.
"He's given everything you'd want from a loan player and more. He's young and has high potential, but he hadn't played any senior football before this season," the manager admitted during an interview with Sky Sports. "I really liked his mentality, and we were on the same page as him, his family and his representation about what he needed, not just in terms of minutes but also development."
"He's come into the club with the right application and picked things up really quickly about what it takes to succeed. That has endeared him to the senior players right away, and he's built that as the season has gone on."
"He's hitting a good level but he's still really young. It's not going to be a linear journey from here, but he's got really high potential and a really good mentality towards achieving that potential."
There's no doubt Pochettino will want to sit down for some chats with Hutchinson this summer. The starlet's shining season combined with Chelsea's attack leaving much to be desired for portions of this campaign has given the Argentinian plenty to think about over the summer.