Why Chelsea should retain Omari Hutchinson amid Ipswich Town interest

Chelsea remain busy in the transfer window as they look to bolster their squad ahead of the 2024/25 season. Many transfer rumors regarding potential incomings and outgoings are circulating, which has stirred discussions in the Chelsea fanbase about who should arrive, depart, and stay.

However, there are worrying reports for Chelsea supporters, like the potential sale of Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Aston Villa, as the owners look to avoid any breach of the strict Profit and Sustainability Regulations.

Another name to add to the list of players who should not leave Chelsea this summer is Omari Hutchinson. The young English talent interests Ipswich Town for a permanent transfer in the region of £20 million, having enjoyed a successful alliance last season in the Championship.

Although Hutchinson was predicted to leave the club this summer, fans anticipated a loan transfer rather than a permanent departure. In this article, the Pride of London will analyze why the permanent sale of Hutchinson will be a decision they later regret.

Remarkable potential displayed during Ipswich Town tenure

After Hutchinson switched from Arsenal's red to Chelsea's blue in 2022, the club witnessed the immense potential of the youngster as he balled out in the Premier League 2 - scoring seven and assisting eight goals in 1801 minutes - a goal contribution every 120 minutes.

The next step for his growth was obvious - a loan move to a club participating in a competitive league that could test and develop Hutchinson.

Ipswich was chosen as the ideal destination, having gained promotion to the Championship, as they were an exciting team about to play in a league known to be a breeding ground for young talents.

Although he was not an immediate starter under Kieran McKenna, Hutchinson broke into the starting eleven and became an indispensable asset to the manager in the last months of the season.

""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.""

- Kieran McKenna

Hutchinson's stats reflect his ridiculous ceiling - scoring 10 goals from an xG of 5.2 - the fourth-highest finishing overperformance in the Championship - and recording 4 assists in his first senior men's season.

Hutchinson was vital to McKenna's team as he contributed a chunk of their chances despite only emerging as a starter in the second half of the season.

When examining the per 90' Shot-Creating Actions (SCA) data from FBref (filtering players that have recorded at least 1500 minutes in the Championship), which quantifies the offensive actions of a player that lead to a shot, Hutchinson ranks second.

The young forward has many weapons in his armory, making him an exciting and well-rounded player. His majestic dribbling can perplex defenders, sharp passes penetrate defensive units, and a mature spacial awareness allows him to exploit the tiniest holes in the opposition structure.

Moreover, Hutchinson's versatility allows the manager to deploy him across the frontline and execute in-game tactical tweaks.

All of which have made Hutchinson a hot prospect that clubs are chasing.

A gem overlooked by Chelsea

If the sale materializes, it could be one of the most confusing decisions by the ownership and Sporting Directors, having little to no grounds for justification.

Considering Chelsea's known interest in Michael Olise, a right winger, who will cost upwards in the region of £50 million, makes this rumor all the more bemusing since the West London club will not have to pay any transfer fees while promoting an academy player, albeit he moved to Cobham recently.

Furthermore, the Sporting Director's plan for Chelsea's right wing is confusing.

They have already signed Estêvão Willian, who will join the Blues in 2025, Noni Madueke showed signs of potential last season, and Cole Palmer can also play in this position. Therefore, the addition of Olise, while disregarding the Hutchinson situation, is not logical.

In Hutchinson's case, the club has the opportunity to either loan him out and see how he improves if they are still unsure of his quality or could slowly begin integrating him into the squad if they believe that he is ready.

But for some odd reason, the Sporting Directors suddenly seem disinterested in both options and prefer a sale.

A potential reason for this could be Chelsea's shaky financial state, but in that case, why look for an expensive winger?

The high ceiling of Hutchinson, who already has proved his worth, is a player that Chelsea has to integrate into their squad and be one of the many young players to carry this team forward.

The forthcoming season will be a pivotal period for the Chelsea project to gain traction, so the significance of nailing the recruitment this summer is utmost, and the sale of Hutchinson could prove a costly misstep.