Ipswich are confident of completing a deal north of £20million for Chelsea forward Omari Hutchinson.
Stuttgart have also pushed hard to recruit the Jamaica international on a permanent transfer, but Premier League new boys Ipswich are now the front-runners.
Hutchinson spent last season on loan with Ipswich and helped the Tractor Boys win promotion to the Premier League with a second-placed Championship finish.
Now the 20-year-old looks set to make a permanent move to the Suffolk club, who are gearing up for their first top-flight campaign in 22 years.
Hutchinson scored 11 goals last term, but most notably the strike that helped seal Ipswich’s Premier League promotion, wrapping up a 2-0 win over relegated Huddersfield on the final day.
Hutchinson is understood to have relished working under Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, and the highly-rated young manager staying at Portman Road is key to his desire to make the permanent move.
Chelsea exercised an option last month to extend Hutchinson’s Stamford Bridge deal until 2026, allowing the Blues to command a significant fee for the highly-promising talent.
Hutchinson spent four years in Chelsea’s academy between 2008 and 2012, before moving to Charlton’s youth setup.
The Redhill-born forward joined Arsenal in 2015, enjoying seven years with the Gunners. Hutchinson returned to Chelsea in July 2022 though, making his senior debut against Manchester City in January 2023.
Chelsea are busy remodelling their squad for new head coach Enzo Maresca, and Hutchinson has been made available for either a loan or a permanent switch.
