Ipswich complete club record deal with Omari Hutchinson as Arsenal could reap windfall
Ipswich have signed Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea after agreeing a deal with Chelsea worth £22.5m, talkSPORT understands.
We reported on Friday that personal terms had been agreed and that all that remained was to complete the medical examination.
The 20-year-old was loaned to Portman Highway Last summer, where he was instrumental in the Tractor Boys achieving promotion to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old will now return to Ipswich on a permanent basis for their return to the top flight after signing a five-year contract.
“We are very pleased to bring Omari back permanently,” said Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna.
“Omari is someone we all enjoyed working with last season and the staff, his teammates and his supporters saw him grow and develop throughout the year, which is testament to the hard work he put in.
“The impact he had on the team throughout the season, especially in the latter part, was evidence of that and he, like many of his teammates, played a big part in that success for the Club.
“We believe Omari is a fantastic player and person to have at the Club for the long-term future. He is hungry to improve and prove that he can compete and thrive in the Premier League.”
Hutchinson, who traded ArsenalChelsea's 2022 academy graduate contributed ten goals and six assists in 44 league games last season.
And Ipswich have spent the summer trying to turn the winger's temporary stay into a permanent move, with the Suffolk side having been successful in talks with the Blues.
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The deal will not include a buy-back clause, although Chelsea would benefit from a future sell-on clause.
Arsenal could also benefit financially from the deal after his spell at the north London side.
Hutchinson's deal has broken Ipswich's transfer record, which had stood for 23 years.
His current record is £4.75m, having lured Matteo Sereni from Sampdoria in 2001.
Ipswich fans have expressed their desire for the club to sign Hutchinson after secure a lucrative investment from a US company in March.
Since moving to Stamford Bridge two years ago, Hutchinson has been limited to just two appearances for Chelsea in all competitions.
But he proved he is more than ready for first-team football during his loan spell at Ipswich, where he helped lead them to the top flight for the first time since 2002.
Hutchinson recently called his loan at Ipswich “perfect” when speaking to The Chelsea Press TeamAs he said: “It was a great season and a great year.
“From the moment I walked into the building, all the guys got to work. They gave me a lot of confidence during training that I could take to my games.
“We showed perseverance and ruthlessness, we kept our composure and we reached the Premier League.
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“The culture was to be humble, be willing to work for the team and the badge because it is a community club.
“All the fans love the club and we have to represent the shield very well and show humility.
“I would probably say it was the perfect transfer. You couldn't get anything better, right? The promotion was ideal.
“My intention was to get into the team, get as many minutes and as much experience as possible from my teammates and the coach, and that ended up being the case.
“I just wanted to help the team as much as possible.”
