Arsenal will see their summer transfer budget topped up after Ipswich agreed to sign Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea for a club-record fee.
Hutchinson spent last season on loan with Ipswich, contributing 11 goals in 50 appearances as they won promotion to the Premier League. Despite making most of his appearances off the bench, the 20-year-old made a telling contribution for Kieran McKenna’s side with some late goals.
Signing him on a permanent deal was a priority for the Tractor Boys after they finished second in the Championship and they have now agreed to pay Chelsea £20million, plus a further £2.5m in add-ons for his signature. The fee was driven up by interest from Stuttgart, Ajax and Feyenoord.
It provides valuable money for Chelsea as they search for new players for Enzo Maresca, but will also benefit Arsenal. That’s because the Gunners included a sell-on clause when they sold Hutchinson to the Blues in July 2022.
It is not known how much of Ipswich’s money Arsenal are due, but it will still be welcome for manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu, who are looking to bolster their squad on a budget this summer. Hutchinson spent seven years with Arsenal between 2015 and 2022 and that development work will now bear fruit.
The Hutchinson deal is a statement of intent from Ipswich, who know they need to spend in order to stay in the Premier League. It significantly eclipses their previous record spend of around £5m for goalkeeper Matteo Sereni in 2001.
Hutchinson joined Arsenal at under-12 level and left as an 18-year-old to rejoin Chelsea, who he spent time with as a youngster. He never made a senior appearance for Arsenal – something which was a bone of contention in the family.
Omari Hutchinson is joining Ipswich on a permanent deal (
George Wood/Getty Images)
Back in January, his brother Oshaye Hutchinson, wrote on Instagram : “Some people owe my brother an apology. All the abuse and hate comments he received when he left Arsenal. I hope you guys are all seeing why!”
