Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney has given his verdict on Liam Delap’s impending move to Chelsea.
Chelsea and Manchester United have both registered an interest in signing Delap from Ipswich Town this summer. However, it is the former who have won the battle.
Delap has chosen to join Chelsea in a move that will see the striker reunite with Enzo Maresca, whom he worked with at Manchester City.
Deeney, though, thinks Delap should have picked City’s rivals United instead of the Conference League winners.
Troy Deeney suggests Liam Delap isn’t ready for Chelsea
While Delap has managed to score 12 goals in 37 Premier League games for a relegated team this season, Deeney has not been overly impressed with him.
The ex-Watford star also thinks a move to United instead of Chelsea would have been better for the 22-year-old’s development.
Discussing Delap’s imminent switch to Stamford Bridge on talkSPORT, Deeney said: “I think personally, when I just look at his development, I thought Man U was a perfect fit. Played 23s football and he’s obviously had a couple of loans, some were OK, some weren’t OK. But then he goes to Ipswich, has a solid season, I wouldn’t say it’s been exceptional. The second half of the season he wasn’t great.
“The second they got relegated, he didn’t play, whether that was the manager’s decision looking forward or whatever. But I think he’s got so much more of his game that he still needs to develop that I think going to United at this stage in his career where they are, he would have had to deal with the big experience, being the man to take them to the next level, then he would be ready for Europe. I think he’s missing a step in his development.”
Delap is not the only player who could decide to join Chelsea over United in the transfer window.
Jarrad Branthwaite wants to play in the Champions League, giving Chelsea an advantage over their Premier League rivals, with both clubs thought to be interested in the Everton defender.
Troy Deeney has actually complimented Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea team
Chelsea fans should not get too annoyed with what Deeney has said about Delap. If anything, they can view it as a compliment for their team.
In effect, what the 36-year-old is saying is Chelsea are at a much higher level than United at the moment and that Delap should use the Red Devils as a stepping stone before playing in Europe.
It shows the progress Maresca’s team have made, something United will be hoping to do next season under Ruben Amorim.
They will have to do it without Delap and possibly Branthwaite, though, with there being a chance that both players end up at Chelsea going into the 2025/26 campaign. And given where the two clubs are, you could not blame them for deciding to move to west London.
