Kieran McKenna drops clear message on Omari Hutchinson's situation at Ipswich Town | OneFootball

The Ipswich manager head coach has clarified the position over Omari Hutchinson as his proposed £35 million transfer to Brentford stumbles over terms.

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has clarified the current position of midfielder Omari Hutchinson and his proposed move to Brentford.

Ipswich are among the pre-season favourites for a quick return to the Premier League following relegation at the end of last season, and Hutchinson is among the most valuable of their playing assets. The midfielder had a release clause inserted into his contract upon his transfer from Chelsea to Portman Road in the summer of 2024, which triggered the interest of several Premier League clubs.

However, while the price to pay wasn't up for discussion, with Brentford having agreed to pay the £35 million that the clause stipulated, further complications have sent them back to the drawing board, with Ipswich now able to ask what they want for the player.

McKenna clarifies current position regarding Hutchinson

Speaking in Scotland after a 3-1 pre-season friendly against Aberdeen on Friday evening, McKenna clarified the current position regarding Hutchinson. TWTD has reported that, when asked about this transfer saga being "up in the air" at the moment, he replied: "No, there’s nothing in the air, he’s an Ipswich player, and he’s training well back at camp, and he’ll be ready to join the group next week, and we think he’ll be a really important player this year."

Hutchinson did not travel north with the rest of the Ipswich squad, but McKenna had a straightforward explanation for his absence: that the player had been given an extended break after winning the Euros with the England U21s, and that he would be training as per normal from next week. When asked whether he had spoken to the player about the situation, McKenna replied: "Me and Omari talk all the time, we’ve got a lovely relationship, we talk about everything."

McKenna claims counter reports that Hutchinson is keen to return to London

The transfer of Hutchinson has become complicated by the expiry of the release clause that was inserted into his contract upon him signing for Ipswich. This expiry date was 5pm on the 15th July, but agreeing terms wasn't just a matter of Brentford agreeing to pay the £35 million specified in the clause; they also needed to agree terms of payment with Ipswich, and this did not happen.

The Evening Standard have reported that a gap has opened up in the valuation of the player between the two clubs since the expiry of the release clause, with Ipswich wanting to hold out for their higher one, reported as £40 million, but with Brentford believing that the player should still be available for the £35 million in the original release clause. The sale of Bryan Mbuemo to Manchester United has given Brentford the means to pay more up front, but Ipswich can now hold out for a higher fee, which has led to the current impasse.

Most transfer fees are paid in installments, especially for larger amounts such as this, and these terms still need to be negotiated between the clubs concerned. But it's a delicate balancing act. Intransigence on the part of the selling club is unlikely to be fruitful, should it make a player they want to keep unhappy. If Hutchinson is looking for a return to the Premier League, Ipswich need to handle the situation carefully.

And while McKenna remains confident that relations between him and the player remain cordial, the Standard also reports that Hutchinson is keen on returning to London, with Brentford his preferred destination. Hutchinson remains an Ipswich player for the time being, but with more than a month still to run before the end of the summer transfer window, there remains plenty of time for negotiations to continue.