Chelsea and Manchester United in Liam Delap Transfer Tussle
Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly locked in a transfer battle for highly sought-after striker Liam Delap, who has a release clause of £30m that could be triggered if Ipswich Town are relegated from the Premier League. According to sources, the 22-year-old’s impressive form for Ipswich Town has alerted several top clubs, including the Blues and Red Devils, who are keen to bolster their attacking options.
The Guardian understands that Ipswich Town signed Delap for £15m plus £5m in add-ons last summer, and the England Under-21 international has played a prominent role in their attempt to stay up. However, with the Tractor Boys 12 points behind 17th-placed Wolves with just seven games to go, their hopes of securing a bigger fee for Delap may be hit if they are relegated. As noted by The Guardian, Delap’s release clause dropping to £30m in the event of relegation is likely to cause a stir at Chelsea and United.
Manchester United have Delap high on a shortlist that also includes Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Chelsea, who have a policy of signing young players on heavily incentivised deals, are also very much in the running and will have a chance to watch Delap when they host Ipswich on Sunday. As The Guardian reports, Chelsea’s links with Manchester City, where Delap spent time before joining Ipswich, could give them an edge in the transfer battle.
Jason Wilcox, United’s technical director, knows Delap well from his time at City, and Chelsea also have several staff members who were at City and could use those links to their advantage. Newcastle and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in Delap, but it is understood that Manchester City have a buyback option, which they are unlikely to trigger. Delap wants regular football and would be behind Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush if he were to rejoin City.
Delap has enjoyed a breakout campaign since leaving Manchester City, scoring 12 goals in 33 appearances. Clubs tracking the striker’s progress will not have to pay a huge fee to sign him this summer, with his release clause set to drop to £30m if Ipswich are relegated. As The Guardian notes, suitors who looked at buying Delap from City last year were informed of the need to meet specific financial and contractual conditions during talks over a deal.
Chelsea and Manchester United are set to go head-to-head in the transfer market, with both clubs looking to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season. According to sources, Delap’s impressive form has alerted several top clubs, and it remains to be seen which club will ultimately secure his signature. With Ipswich’s relegation battle set to go down to the wire, Chelsea and United will be keeping a close eye on developments. As reported by The Guardian, the Tractor Boys’ situation could ultimately work in their favour, with Delap’s release clause set to drop significantly if they are relegated.
