Ipswich Town’s chairman, Mark Ashton, has hinted that the club will have a significant sell-on clause in the deal to transfer Liam Delap to Chelsea for £30 million.
With only the completion of his medical and contract signing remaining, the 22-year-old is on the verge of making this high-profile move to Stamford Bridge. Agreements on personal terms have been reached between Delap’s representatives and Chelsea after the club activated the striker’s £30 million release clause, according to The Athletic.
During his noteworthy first season in the Premier League, Delap scored 12 goals, although it was insufficient to keep Ipswich from being relegated. This relegation triggered a clause in his contract allowing any club to acquire him at the amount Chelsea is ready to pay.
Review of Liam Delap’s 2024/25 Premier League Statistics:
– Appearances: 37
– Starts: 32
– Goals: 12
– Expected Goals (xG): 9.34
– Conversion Rate (%): 18
– Penalties Scored: 2
– Big Chances Missed: 10
– Assists: 2
(Source: Sofascore)
Ipswich is set for a considerable return on their investment. They acquired Delap from Manchester City, where he developed, for £15 million, plus potential add-ons totaling up to £5 million last summer. Reportedly, they will receive 30% of the profits from Delap’s sale to Chelsea, likely earning Ipswich around £7-10 million in net income.
Comments from the Ipswich chairman indicate the potential for significant future financial support for the club through Delap’s transfer.
While fans might feel disappointed seeing him depart for a lesser fee than anticipated, given the interest from several top-flight clubs, Ashton’s remarks suggest that acquiring Delap would have been very challenging without the release clause. The optimistic perspective for Ipswich is that they could see financial benefits in the future if Delap excels under Enzo Maresca and secures another major move in his career.
Ashton mentioned to the East Anglia Daily Times, “This football club is always protected moving forward,” when asked about a sell-on clause in the Chelsea deal. While he could not discuss specifics regarding Delap due to confidentiality, he implied they would benefit from the striker’s future transfers.
“Again, I’m going to avoid naming ‘Liam’ because that might get me into trouble. But this is a standard clause we typically negotiate in our deals. We recognize our challenges, but we understand how to navigate them. It’s frustrating because we can’t communicate everything to the fan base; knowing all the details would change their perspective significantly. Despite this, our fan base has shown considerable trust and support, and we will continuously advocate for our club.”
Delap is expected to sign a six-year contract with Chelsea, which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2031. The length of this agreement poses a challenge for other clubs that might wish to acquire him, as Chelsea could demand a substantial fee, with no urgency to sell.
Ultimately, Ipswich’s fortunes could swing dramatically. Delap might evolve into one of the top players globally and attract attention from the largest clubs, including Chelsea, or he could fall short of his potential, leaving Ipswich unable to capitalize on the anticipated benefits of the sell-on clause included in the agreement.
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