Liam Delap has reportedly decided to join Chelsea ahead of the likes of Newcastle United and Manchester United.
The Ipswich Town striker is in demand despite his side’s relegation from the Premier League this season.
Delap, who was signed from Manchester City in June last year, scored 12 goals for Ipswich in their first top-flight season since the 2001-02 campaign.
That tally wasn’t enough for Ipswich to avoid an immediate return to the Championship, but Delap’s goalscoring prowess saw him catch the eye of a host of suitors.
The appeal of a move to Old Trafford and a return to Manchester was diminished by the lack of Champions League football on offer, Ruben Amorim’s side having finished the worst Premier League season in the club’s history in 15th place. United lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham.
Everton had also held talks with Delap, but the lure of playing in the Champions League swayed Delap. Chelsea and Newcastle were both able to offer that opportunity, but Delap is said to have picked the former, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting rival clubs are being informed he will not be joining them.
Delap is now poised to make the move to Stamford Bridge, subject to personal terms being agreed and Chelsea meeting the requirements of his £30million release clause.
bet365 Transfer Specials – Gyokeres Transfer Odds, Rashford, Ronaldo, Fernandes & More
A goalscorer from the penalty spot against Chelsea in Ipswich’s 2-0 win over the Blues in December, Delap gives Chelsea much-needed depth up front.
Nicolas Jackson led the line for much of the season, scoring 10 goals in 30 league appearances. However, he missed over a month of the 2024-25 season with a hamstring injury. He was suspended for the final two games of the Premier League campaign, but made a goalscoring return in Chelsea’s Conference League final win over Real Betis on Wednesday.
Chelsea scored more than once in just one of the seven games Jackson missed through injury or suspension — a 4-0 win over bottom club Southampton in February.
They will hope the prospective addition of Delap gives them the ability to rotate up front and take some of the goalscoring burden off Cole Palmer, who scored 15 league goals for Chelsea this season.
