Forest near club-record Hutchinson signing as McAtee deal nears

Nottingham Forest moved to seal a club-record outlay on Omari Hutchinson and are closing in on another high-value target, James McAtee, as they push to build a squad capable of competing in European competition for the first time in three decades. The Hutchinson deal is reported to be worth about 37.5m, and talks for McAtee are understood to be near 30m, with both agreements subject to medicals, final paperwork and registration ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

Hutchinson, a 21-year-old winger who impressed for Ipswich Town last season, is at the centre of Forest’s latest recruitment push. He featured 32 times for Ipswich, scoring three goals and providing two assists as they won promotion battles but ultimately were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship. The move would surpass Forest’s previous transfer record of 35m spent on Dan Ndoye last month. Ipswich’s valuation has been publicly strengthened by the market, with discussions indicating a firm price point around the 40m mark, underscoring Ipswich’s reluctance to let go of a player they believe has significant upside. Hutchinson has progressed through Chelsea’s academy and Arsenal’s youth system, and he has...