Ipswich have signed Omari Hutchinson from Chelsea after the club agreed a deal worth £22.5 million with Chelsea, The Pitch Prospect has learned.
We reported on Friday that the personal conditions had been agreed and only a medical examination was still pending.
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The 20-year-old was sent to Portman Road on loan last summer, where he played a key role in the Tractor Boys’ promotion to the Premier League.
Now the 20-year-old will return to Ipswich permanently after signing a five-year contract to help the club return to the top flight.
“We are delighted to bring Omari back permanently,” said Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna.
“We all enjoyed working with Omari last season and the staff, his teammates and fans all saw him grow and develop throughout the year, which is a testament to the hard work he put in.
“The influence he had on the team throughout the season, particularly in the closing stages, was testament to that and he, like so many of his teammates, played a significant part in the club’s success.
“We think Omari is a fantastic player and person to have at the club for the long term. He is hungry to improve and show he can compete and succeed in the Premier League.”
Hutchinson, who swapped Arsenal’s academy for Chelsea’s in 2022, contributed ten goals and six assists in 44 Championship 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 successful in talks with the Blues.
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The deal will not include a buy-back clause, but Chelsea would benefit from a future sell-on clause.
Arsenal could also benefit financially from the deal after his time with the north Londoners.
Hutchinson’s deal broke Ipswich’s 23-year-old transfer record.
Their current record is £4.75 million, after they poached Matteo Sereni from Sampdoria in 2001.
Ipswich fans have been vocal in their desire for the club to sign Hutchinson after securing a lucrative investment from an American company in March.
Since moving to Stamford Bridge two years ago, Hutchinson has only made two appearances for Chelsea in all competitions.
But during his loan spell at Ipswich he showed he was more than ready for the first team, helping the club gain promotion to the top flight for the first time since 2002.
Speaking to Chelsea’s media team recently, Hutchinson described his loan move to Ipswich as “perfect” and said: “It’s been a great season and a great year.”
“From the first minute I walked into the building, all the guys were fully into it. They gave me a lot of confidence in training that I would take into my games.
“We showed relentlessness and ruthlessness, we stayed calm and made it to the Premier League.
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“The culture was about humility and a willingness to work for the team and the badge because it’s a community club.
“All the fans love the club and you have to represent the crest really well and show humility.
“I would probably say it was the perfect loan – it couldn’t have been much better, could it? The promotion was the ideal.”
“My intention was to get into the team and get as many minutes and as much experience as possible from my teammates and the coach – and that’s what ended up happening.”
“I just wanted to help the team as best as I could.”