It’s been an encouraging but nonetheless up-and-down start to Premier League life for Ipswich Town this season.
Kieran McKenna’s side might still be in the relegation zone due to another defeat yesterday afternoon, but there are undoubtedly reasons to be optimistic for the Tractor Boys.
For example, they have already played four of the traditional big six, beating Tottenham Hotspur before the international break and then claiming a point at home against Manchester United in their first game back.
Moreover, several of the club’s summer signings have started to show that they can hack it in the top flight, including Omari Hutschibson, and based on reports from last month, the powers that be could be about to repeat the trick that landed them the talented 21-year-old in the first place.
Hutchinson's recent form
Now, we know that some of you may point out that Hutchinson first joined Ipswich last summer, but he didn’t put pen to paper on a permanent deal until this summer.
McKenna and Co were understandably impressed by the 21-year-old’s stellar performance on loan, which saw him rack up 11 goals and six assists in 50 appearances, and opted to splash £20m on him in June, which is starting to look like excellent business.
The Redhill-born maestro didn’t start the campaign in the same form he ended the last one in, but the previous few gameweeks have seen him return to the sort of form that convinced the Tractor Boys to sign him in the first place.
Appearances
50
13
Goals
11
1
Assists
6
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.15
For example, while he didn’t score or provide an assist in the win over Spurs, it felt like everything the team did well flowed through him, leading to the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones awarding him a 9/10 match rating on the day.
Then, against United, in Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge, the former Blues gem opened his goalscoring account with a spectacular curling effort from outside the box.
On top of being able to make things happen on his own, the left-footer is more than capable of playing in multiple positions and doing so to a good standard.
Last season, McKenna opted to start him more often than not off the right, whereas this season, he’s been playing in the middle and doing so with aplomb.
In all, it would be fair to describe Hutchinson’s transfer to Ipswich as a success, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to repeat it in January.
Ipswich target another young talent
So, to get straight to the point, the player Ipswich could look to repeat their Hutchinson masterclass with is Carney Chukwuemeka.
The link comes from journalist Simon Phillips’ Substack late last month, where he revealed that the Tractor Boys are one of several sides interested in the young talent, who is currently earning £100k-per-week in West London following his £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022.
So then, why would a move for the midfield gem be akin to the transfer of Hutchinson? Well, there is one primary reason, and it’s a big one.
Were McKenna able to get his hands on the 21-year-old, then he’d be another young and highly thought-of talent making his way to Portman Road from Stamford Bridge in as many years, and while he’s not had a great time in West London, he is certainly highly thought of.
For example, talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Eisenstadt-born dynamo as a “top talent” as well as a “superstar in the making” in the summer of 2022 due to his incredible performance for England at the U19 European Championships.
It’s not just scouts that see a future star in the young Englishman either, as his former manager Steven Gerrard described him as possessing “big potential” and, while his time in the dugout didn’t quite go as planned, the former Liverpool legend probably knows a thing or two about midfielders.
Lastly, while he hasn’t been prolific at the senior level just yet, in part due to multiple injury issues, the former Villa prospect was sensational for the club’s junior sides.
For example, in just 26 appearances for the U18s, he scored ten goals and provided eight assists, while in 29 games for the U23s, he scored three goals and provided five assists, which isn’t too bad considering his primary position in his career so far has been central midfield.
Ultimately, it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, and one that may even raise some eyebrows for how he’s gotten on at Chelsea.
However, there can be no mistake, Chukwuemeka is a serious talent, and based on how well Hutchinson has developed at Ipswich following his move from Chelsea, there’s no reason he couldn’t do the same.
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