Isaac Hutchinson, the attacking midfielder currently on loan at Cheltenham Town, has returned to his parent club Bristol Rovers for discussions with manager Steve Evans about a potential recall, according to Gloucestershire Live.
Hutchinson, 25, who has 18 months remaining on his Bristol Rovers contract, has made a strong impact this season, netting eight goals since joining Cheltenham on a season-long loan at the end of the summer transfer window.
Despite his success, Hutchinson has expressed a clear desire to remain at Whaddon Road for the remainder of the campaign — a sentiment echoed by Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill. However, Bristol Rovers have an option to recall him within a specified period during the January transfer window.
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The Rovers have bolstered their midfield options by signing the attack-minded Ryan De Havilland from Peterborough United at the start of January.
Evans voiced his thoughts on December 29, stating: “The intention at the minute is that Isaac will be coming back. He may end up there, but Cheltenham Town have to talk if they want to keep him because there’s a date on that deal, and they have to talk to me — and I might be a bit harder.”
When asked about Hutchinson’s future following Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day defeat at Crewe Alexandra, Cotterill remained diplomatic: “Isaac wants to stay here, which he’s made clear. It’s not for us to contact Bristol Rovers. There’s a date in the contract that allows them to recall him during January. The loan was intended to last the full season, which is why I haven’t reached out to anyone.”
Ahead of his loan spell, Hutchinson and his family unfortunately faced abuse from some Bristol Rovers fans, prompting the club to issue a strong condemnation. Bristol Rovers stated: “The club is appalled by abuse levelled towards Isaac Hutchinson and his family. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse of any kind and will work closely with the EFL and police to identify those responsible.”
Cheltenham Town look ahead to their FA Cup third-round clash against Championship side Leicester City on Saturday at 12:15pm. Hutchinson has been instrumental in Cheltenham’s FA Cup campaign so far, scoring the winner against Bradford City in round one and bagging a brace in a 6-2 victory over non-league Buxton in round two.