It looks like Liam Delap will be the next striker trying to follow in the footsteps of some Chelsea greats.
The No 9 position at Chelsea has been a bit hit and miss in the 21st century, but when things click, you can become a huge favourite at Stamford Bridge; just ask Didier Drogba and Diego Costa.
Ipswich Town centre-forward Liam Delap, 22, has reportedly already agreed to his move to join the Blues. It’s been claimed that Delap has chosen to sign for Chelsea, and an agreement is now in place ahead of an imminent £30m transfer switch.
The English centre-forward looks set to reunite with Blues head coach Enzo Maresca, who managed him in Manchester City’s academy. It means a reunion with former teammates Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia, too.
It’s exciting that Delap and Palmer have a great record playing together from their time at Man City and with England’s Under-21s.
Stan Collymore gives big thumbs up on Liam Delap to Chelsea
According to Stan Collymore, Delap to Chelsea is a transfer move that suits both parties.
Collymore wrote in his column for CaughtOffside: “The signing of Liam Delap is a very good one. I think it was a clear choice for him to pick Chelsea over the likes of Man United and Newcastle, as there is far more of a pedigree. And on top of this, he already knows guys like Maresca and Cole Palmer. There is also more of a settled environment for him at Chelsea compared to someone like Man United.”
Without a doubt, Delap deserved to stay in England’s top division despite being part of an Ipswich side relegated from the Premier League this season.
The young attacker quietly had an impressive campaign in a struggling team, which has earned him this big transfer to a Champions League club.
| Appearances (Starts) | Goals | Assists | Expected goals (xG) | Shots | Shots on target | Chances created | Yellow cards | Red cards | Average match rating |
| 37 (32) | 12 | 2 | 9.34 | 68 | 32 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 6.73 |
Even though Darren Bent has question marks over Delap to Chelsea, we suspect his goal output would only increase if he’s playing in a better team. Of course, he’s got to fend off competition from Nicolas Jackson for the striker position.
It will certainly be a step up from Ipswich to receive service from the likes of Palmer, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez in the final third.
The rise of Liam Delap
As Delap prepares to finalise a move to Chelsea, it’s worth highlighting that it’s been quite a steep rise for the talented young striker.
The former Manchester City youngster came through their academy before experiencing loan spells in the Championship with Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City. He was eventually sold last summer to Ipswich Town, where he’s proven he can hold his own in the Premier League.
| Season | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | Ipswich Town | 40 | 12 | 2 |
| 2023/24 | Hull City | 32 | 8 | 2 |
| 2022/23 | Stoke City + Preston North End | 38 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021/22 | Manchester City | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020/21 | Manchester City | 3 | 1 | 0 |
As you can see above, Delap is still very much a work in progress and only has one full season of Premier League football under his belt. It’s why Chelsea supporters may need to be a bit patient with the £30m signing.
