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FEATURE
- 18 hours ago
Delap wanted by ‘half the Premier League’: Here are his best options
Robin Bairner
- 10 Apr 2025 09:20 BST
- 4 min read
Analysis
Liam Delap finds himself in the transfer spotlight once again.
With the news that Delap will be available for just €35 million (£30m) in the summer once Ipswich’s relegation is confirmed, there is set to be something of a feeding frenzy.
Current ETV
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Ipswich Town
Liam Delap
F (C), AM (R)
Ipswich Town
ETV Range
€24.8M - €41.3M
Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in the forward, with the Blues ready to go ‘all in’ on signing the forward. The Athletic, meanwhile, reports that “more than half of the Premier League” wants to sign him.
The reasons are clear. The 22-year-old has been playing in one of the weakest sides in the history of the Premier League yet has still managed to score a very commendable 12 goals.
And Delap is more than just a finisher. He has the willingness to stretched defences by running in behind, the capacity to front up defenders with the ball at his feet and is a persistent menace both in and out of possession with his physicality.
Now he is set to have his pick of clubs in the summer, but which should he move to? FootballTransfers has used SciSports’ Career Advice tool to provide three options for the striker.
Arsenal: The development option
Although Arsenal are not one of the teams most heavily linked with Delap, they do offer him the best option when it comes to helping Delap reach his full potential.
According to SciSports, the Gunners are the best fit when it comes to Delap’s development. They score five stars in this category, suggesting he will be able to become the best version of himself at the Emirates.
But there’s a catch. With just two stars in the playing time category, it’s doubtful that he would get a chance to show it. Furthermore, the Gunners rate just one star in style, suggesting Mikel Arteta’s measured approach isn’t suited to him.
Crystal Palace: Playing time at Selhurst Park
Somewhat surprisingly, there is not a Premier League club that SciSports awards five stars to for playing time for Delap.
Crystal Palace, however, come out on top of the clubs who can boast four stars, and with rumours that Jean-Philippe Mateta could leave in the summer, this could realistically grow in the weeks ahead.
The Selhurst Park side looks like a solid all-round option for Delap but only offer him two stars for potential development.
Man Utd: Amorim’s setup ideal for Delap
There’s no question that Manchester United are Delap’s best option when it comes to both playing style and formation.
Across these categories, the Red Devils score a close-to-perfect 9/10. No other club get more than eight.
Crucially, no other member of the ‘Big 6’ scores more than six across these categories, while the other Champions League pretenders – Aston Villa and Newcastle United – fare no better.
Liam Delap’s best transfer option: Man Utd
When it comes to Premier League clubs, Man Utd offer Delap the best balance across the board, achieving a very strong Club Fit score of 79, according to SciSports.
Ruben Amorim’s side are already a strong stylistic fit for the Ipswich man, while the development and playing opportunities give them the edge over their rivals, with Chelsea notably offering a Club Fit score of just 61.
