- 20 hours ago
Why Liam Delap is Chelsea's PERFECT striker
With Chelsea eyeing Liam Delap as their top striker target this summer, FootballTransfers explores why he’d be an exciting buy.
After their recent attacking troubles with injuries and form, Chelsea fans are dreaming of a big-name forward signing. But under BlueCo’s new recruitment strategy, the focus has shifted away from splashing cash on stars.
EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea go ‘all in’ for Liam Delap
Instead, Todd Boehly is hunting for young talents who start on lower wages yet offer huge growth potential - both on the pitch and in value.
Delap fits that mould perfectly, and fans should be buzzing about him.
READ MORE: How Chelsea could line up with Liam Delap
Current ETV
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Ipswich Town
ETV Range
€24.8M - €41.3M
What kind of a profile is Delap?
Delap’s an all-round modern-day No.9. As a Manchester City academy graduate, he’s got the technical polish you’d expect, but this is paired with a tenacity that makes him a nightmare for centre-backs - a real physical menace.
Like Nicolas Jackson, he offers Chelsea an outlet to stretch defences, bombing in behind or down the channels. But more crucially, he’d bring much-needed physicality up top, pressing and bullying centre-backs and serving as a proper focal point around the box.
When he’s on the pitch, he’s a handful and then some—Chelsea felt that firsthand this season when Delap ran riot in Ipswich’s 2-0 win over them, bagging a goal, an assist, and terrorising Tosin Adarabioyo in a man-of-the-match display.
What will Delap bring to Chelsea?
First off, Delap brings goals.
The Englishman’s a clean ball-striker, netting 10 times from 7.95 xG in the Premier League this season - proof that he squeezes every drop from his limited chances.
Outperforming his Expected Goals tally is a highly sought-after trait for any attacker. That has proved to be a lifeline for a side like Ipswich Town, who languish in the bottom three for xG.
Chelsea, though, sit second only to Liverpool in chance creation - imagine what Delap could do with that kind of service.
STATS
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Ipswich Town
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Ipswich Town
His 1.61 carries into the final third and 1.34 successful take-ons rank among the best for Premier League forwards, showing he can also charge at defences and spark counterattacks.
Chelsea’s wingers are crying out for a proper target, and Delap fits the bill. Against low blocks, he can be a towering presence in the box, boosting Chelsea’s aerial threat alongside that much-needed physical edge.
The England U21 international also presses from the front, which fits right in with Maresca’s philosophy.
Plenty of clubs will chase him this summer, but if Chelsea snag him, they’ll land a striker who ticks every box to push this team up a gear.
