Chelsea Close in on Signing of Ipswich Town Striker Liam Delap
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Chelsea are on the brink of signing highly sought-after striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, according to reports from talkSPORT. The England Under-21 international has given the green light to a move to Stamford Bridge, and the Blues are confident that he will sign.
Delap, who has a £30million release clause in his Ipswich contract, has also held talks with Manchester United, Newcastle, and Everton. However, Chelsea’s ability to offer Champions League football is believed to be the decisive factor in the 20-year-old’s decision-making process. The Blues secured their spot in the Champions League with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League campaign, finishing fourth.
The news of Delap’s potential move to Chelsea comes on the same evening that the Blues finished their season with a flourish, claiming a comeback win over Real Betis in the Conference League final. In contrast, Manchester United’s defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham meant that they missed out on next season’s Champions League and European football altogether.
Reunion with Enzo Maresca
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Should the move materialize, Delap will reunite with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with the striker at Manchester City. Delap spent five years at the Etihad Stadium after signing aged 16 and will also compete with incumbent striker Nicolas Jackson for the starting berth.
According to talkSPORT, Delap is preparing to join up with the England under-21 squad following the end of the Premier League season. He has been named in Lee Carsley’s squad for a pre-tournament training camp at St. George’s Park. The Young Lions boss will then name his final squad for the Euros in Slovakia on June 6 ahead of their opening match against the Czech Republic six days later.
Delap’s impressive season at Ipswich Town
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Delap has had an impressive season at Ipswich Town, scoring 12 goals in 37 league appearances despite the Tractor Boys suffering an immediate relegation back to the Championship after finishing 19th. Only Ollie Watkins, Cole Palmer, and Jarrod Bowen scored more Premier League goals than Delap this term among English players.
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna previously revealed that Delap had permission to speak to other clubs. “Liam’s looking at his options for next year, which I think he is entitled to do and we support him with that,” McKenna told reporters. “I think part of his week has been having some of those conversations. It looks more likely than not that he will move on this summer and he has interest from pretty much every club in the league, and I don’t think there are many clubs in the world who wouldn’t want to have him.”
As quoted in the original article on talkSPORT, McKenna added, “Nothing is sorted, nothing is done or completed or even very, very, very close, so that process will take its course.”
The Striker’s Future
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With Chelsea poised to sign Delap, it remains to be seen how the striker will adapt to the Premier League with the Blues. As reported by talkSPORT, Delap’s potential move to Chelsea would herald a new chapter in his career, and fans will be eagerly anticipating his performances next season.
talkSPORT understands that Delap’s move to Chelsea is imminent, and the 20-year-old is set to become a key player for the Blues in the upcoming season.
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