Chelsea and Manchester United are expected to sign a striker each this summer and will have a number of mutual targets, one of which is Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. Having scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season, the former Manchester City star is likely to be of interest for several English sides, especially considering the Tractor Boys are heavy relegation candidates.
Should they get relegated, Ipswich will be forced to sell Delap for a lower price than they would anticipate and it is being rumoured that a £40 million offer would be enough to price him away. According to Caught Offside, Chelsea have overtaken Man United in their bid to sign the 22-year-old later this year having seen him as a cheaper as well as young option.
Chelsea set to have clear path for Delap
Manchester City retain a buyback clause in their sale agreement with Ipswich Town for Liam Delap and whilst many of the forward’s suitors fear they could exercise it in the summer, it is difficult to picture Pep Guardiola welcoming the Englishman’s addition having spent a significant amount on landing Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt in the winter.
Meanwhile, Manchester United could prioritise Viktor Gyokeres, a proven goal-scorer having seen their funds go unjustified on the likes of Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund in the recent past. Plus, Delap’s ties with Man City could see him turn down a move to their arch rivals in spite of them probably guaranteeing him regular game time.
Chelsea, on the other hand, will be able to provide the player with a better offer as well as consistent minutes in the team. Moreover, their potential participation in the Champions League could also be a point that works in their favour. That said, it remains to be seen how highly Delap ranks in their wish-list given how many players they are linked with.
