A fledgling Chelsea attacker is reportedly in advanced talks to join a Champions League-competing club for the 2024-25 season.
Twenty-year-old Omari Hutchinson - a former Arsenal academy graduate who left the Gunners to join Chelsea in the summer of 2022 - was a fundamental cog in Ipswich Town's promotion-winning machine in 2023-24.
From 44 Championship appearances, Hutchinson came up with 10 goals and six assists for Kieran McKenna's men, who finished second in the standings behind champions Leicester City.
Hutchinson is due to return to Stamford Bridge this summer, as Ipswich's loan agreement did not include an option or obligation for a permanent deal, but the Tractor Boys are pushing to keep hold of him.
However, the 20-year-old's future is currently in limbo due to the exit of ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, who could potentially be succeeded by current Ipswich head coach McKenna.
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Hutchinson 'in advanced talks to join Stuttgart'
McKenna taking control of the Stamford Bridge reins could see Hutchinson given the opportunity to stake his claim in a Chelsea shirt next season, but another loan exit appears to be the most likely outcome at this juncture.
According to The Mirror, Bundesliga powerhouses Stuttgart are currently in pole position to land the attacker for the 2024-25 season, and advanced talks are reportedly ongoing between the two parties.
A permanent exit from West London is not believed to be a possibility, but Hutchinson was supposedly in attendance to watch Stuttgart thump Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 in their final match of the Bundesliga campaign.
Sebastian Hoeness's side pipped Bayern Munich to second in the table to qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League, but they are just one of four teams vying to secure Hutchinson's signature.
The report adds that Dutch giants Ajax and Feyenoord have also taken a liking to Jamaica international, and Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton is not giving up hope of welcoming Hutchinson back to Portman Road either.
What about Chelsea's current loan players?
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As talks accelerate over a deal to ship Hutchinson out to the Bundesliga, Chelsea will soon be welcoming a handful of players back from their loan spells both abroad and in England, although few appear to have a future at the club.
The Blues will fight tooth and nail to finally rid themselves of Romelu Lukaku for good, and the same can be said for fellow striker Armando Broja, who enjoyed limited game time at Fulham due to the form of Rodrigo Muniz.
Borussia Dortmund are also pushing hard to sign Ian Maatsen on a permanent deal but must pay his £35m release clause in full, while Hakim Ziyech (Galatasaray) and Kepa Arrizabalaga (Real Madrid) should be let go too.
However, the youthful quintet of David Datro Fofana, Angelo Gabriel, Andrey Santos, Gabriel Slonina and Lucas Bergstrom could still come good at Stamford Bridge, although much will depend on the identity of their new head coach.
While Ipswich's McKenna is strongly admired, Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion are also competing for his services, so Chelsea could instead turn their focus to the other promotion-winning Championship manager in Leicester City's Enzo Maresca.
Ben Knapton
