Town have confirmed the season-long loan signing of Chelsea youngster Omari Hutchinson.
As reported earlier, the 19-year-old underwent a medical with the Blues this afternoon, the clubs having agreed terms regarding the switch.
"I’m really excited to join the club at such an exciting time,” he told the club site. "I have met with the manager face-to-face and really enjoyed hearing what he had to say, so I’m looking forward to playing in his team.
"I like to attack what’s in front of me and I like to score and create chances for my teammates, playing nice football and keeping possession.
"I like bringing smiles to people’s faces and hopefully I can do that here. To play in front of 30,000 people will be crazy and I'm really looking forward to it.”
Manager Kieran McKenna added: "We’re delighted to have Omari with us because he is a young player with real potential who has shown a real desire to come here for his first senior loan. So we think he is a good fit for us and we can be a good match for each other.
"He is a wide player who can give us different options and is direct, can attack and test the opposition in one-v-ones and has good pace.
"This is his first senior loan so we have to remember he is very young, but he is a player we are excited to have join the group.”
CEO Mark Ashton said: "We are delighted to have brought Omari to the club. He is an exciting young player with great potential and we are looking forward to having him with us during what is a big season for the club.”
Hutchinson, left-footed but primarily operating on the right, becomes the Blues’ fourth signing of the summer following Jack Taylor, Cieran Slicker and George Hirst.
Redhill-born Hutchinson had spells with his current parent club, Charlton and Arsenal as an academy player before returning to Stamford Bridge last summer.
Hutchinson has made two senior sub appearances for Chelsea, both against Manchester City, one in the league, in addition to having been on the bench a further four times without getting on the field.
Last season, he netted seven goals and picked up eight assists in 21 games for West Londoners' U21s in Premier League 2.
Hutchinson has played at Portman Road, for Arsenal in the Papa Johns Trophy tie in December 2021 in which he netted the decisive penalty in the shootout.
A number of other Championship clubs were understood to be interested in taking Hutchinson on loan this summer, West Brom having been keen to sign him in January.
Having been capped by England at U17 and U19 level, Hutchinson switched allegiance to Jamaica, for whom he has made two senior appearances.
Despite being 19, as a Premier League loanee, Hutchinson will count towards Town's 25-man EFL squad.