Chelsea ‘firmly’ leading rivals for English striker who’s ‘held talks’ with ‘nearly half’ the Prem
Chelsea are reportedly ‘firm favourites’ to land Ipswich striker Liam Delap this summer, despite him having ‘held talks’ with ‘nearly half of the Premier League’ this year.
Delap is the latest success story to come out of Manchester City’s academy, but do so away from the Etihad. The 22-year-old striker played just six times for City’s first team, and in his first season since leaving permanently, he has 12 Premier League goals and two assists.
Chelsea know what it’s like to benefit from a City academy product, with Cole Palmer exploding into life as soon as he stepped foot through the door at Stamford Bridge last season, having been given few opportunities in Manchester.
Their hope will be that Delap follows suit, as TBRFootball reports Chelsea are the ‘firm favourites’ to sign the Ipswich striker this summer.
It’s believed Delap himself knows how hard the Blues are pushing – having had a long-term interest in him – and he’s aware that there’s an avenue into the first team. As such, it seems he’s open to a move to Stamford Bridge.
That’s despite the fact, as the report states, Delap will have the pick of the clubs, as his representatives have ‘held talks’ with ‘nearly half of the Premier League’ this year.
The report names a number of sides who have been doing work on the striker: Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Everton and West Ham.
If Ipswich are relegated, which is likely given they’re 12 points from safety, Delap almost certainly won’t be playing Championship football next season.
It’s believed he’ll cost £40million in the summer, and Chelsea are the most likely beneficiaries at this point in time.
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Reuniting him with Palmer could be a masterstroke from Enzo Maresca, given the pair, between City’s academy and England youth football, have set up eight goals for each other in 33 games, and only ever lost twice while playing in the same side.
Both are more mature footballers now, and their partnership could be an even more strong one at the top level.
READ MORE: Chelsea submit £64m ‘offer’ to sign Arsenal target with ‘three bombshell’ signings ‘prepared’
