Ipswich to obliterate transfer record with superb Chelsea coup advanced thanks to Kieran McKenna

Ipswich Town are primed to smash their transfer record with a deal to sign Chelsea attacker Omari Hutchinson advanced, TEAMtalk can confirm.

Hutchinson enjoyed a productive loan spell with the Tractor Boys last season and the club made him a priority target after that campaign.

He has since returned to Stamford Bridge to be assessed by new manager Enzo Maresca following the departure of Mauricio Pochetiino.

However, TEAMtalk has been told Hutchinson can leave Chelsea and that the 20-year-old has given the green light to re-joining Ipswich on a permanent basis.

We understand a key factor in Hutchinson’s willingness to leave is the fact he’ll reunite with manager Kieran McKenna at Ipswich.

McKenna had been linked with the vacant Chelsea job following Pochettino’s dismissal. If McKenna had got the nod at Stamford Bridge, Hutchinson would have been far more willing to stick around and fight for his place.

But with McKenna staying loyal to Ipswich, Hutchinson has been emboldened to push for a return to the newly-promoted side.

Ipswich Town have been hesitant on just one aspect of the transfer and that is the fee that Chelsea are asking for the player.

Hutchinson has a £25m price tag which would make him a record signing for Ipswich by some margin even if they get that figure down to a mooted £22m.

Ipswich’s current most expensive buy remains the roughly £6m paid to sign Hermann Hreidarsson from Wimbledon all the way back in August of 2000.

Chelsea feel that Ipswich are the best option to offload the player at this time with interest from Bundesliga clubs not as firm.

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Kieran McKenna eager to reunite with Omari Hutchinson

TEAMtalk can reveal that the two parties are very close to getting a deal done for the player, with McKenna just as eager to work with Hutchinson as the player is to return to Suffolk.

McKenna has made public appeals to the club’s top brass to secure the signing of Hutchinson for next season, even asking the chairman to sign him as a birthday gift at the club’s end of season awards.

Hutchinson endeared himself to both management and the fans towards the back end of last season, as his efforts were crucial in helping Ipswich secure a return to the Premier League.

Chelsea are said to rate Hutchinson very highly but they do not believe that he will be able to command regular football at Stamford Bridge next season.

A permanent move to Ipswich now looks like the most likely outcome. A second loan agreement is a back-up option in case the permanent sale were to fall through.

Chelsea loaned out 17 players last season and want that number reduced for the upcoming campaign, while they also want to trim the fat from their Premier League squad.

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