Gary Neville delivers his honest opinion on whether Liam Delap is a good signing for Chelsea
Chelsea fans are currently refreshing their feeds, waiting for an official confirmation that Liam Delap has joined from Ipswich Town.
Liam Delap, 22, is expected to join the Blues this summer, according to recent reports.
Delap has now agreed to personal terms with Chelsea, and he is set to have a medical on Monday. Chelsea and Ipswich reportedly agreed to activate the striker’s £30 million release clause.
The English centre-forward scored 12 Premier League goals for relegated Ipswich last season, but his potential and quality have earned him a high-profile move elsewhere.
Gary Neville recommends Liam Delap to Chelsea.
On It’s Called Football!, Gary Neville discussed why he believes Delap’s arrival at Stamford Bridge is a positive move for the club.
In addition, he urged Chelsea to continue their aggressive summer window strategy by signing another centre-forward to compete with Delap and Nicolas Jackson.
Neville commented, “I like Liam Delap. I believe Chelsea requires two strikers. I believe they need two more strikers in addition to Jackson, or two strikers if Jackson leaves. I don’t think Delap and Jackson will get Chelsea to the top of the league or win the Champions League. For me, you don’t have three world-class strikers. You own a Jackson. You have a younger Delap who has the potential to grow. In today’s market, £32 million is a reasonable price.
“I believe that’s a good purchase for Chelsea. United wanted him as well. He obviously chose to join Chelsea, who are far ahead of United at the moment. I support the idea of having a striker like Jackson, who I believe is a handful and a threat. Delap is valued at £32 million. I’d then get in with someone else. Then you have a solid pool of strikers.”
Interestingly, Neville may get his wish, as the Blues are rumoured to be interested in another forward in addition to Delap.
Chelsea have reached a personal agreement with Hugo Ekitike, a 22-year-old striker from Eintracht Frankfurt. He scored 22 goals and assisted 12 times in 48 games across all competitions for the German club last season.
Chelsea fans should be thrilled that Ekitike has been compared to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak by industry experts.
Liam Delap is joint top of Premier League statistics.
Delap’s ability to play on the edge will undoubtedly add aggression to Chelsea’s forward line.
Last season, no player in England’s top division received more yellow cards.
| Player | Club | Yellow cards |
| Liam Delap | Ipswich Town | 12 |
| Flynn Downes | Southampton | 12 |
| Sasa Lukic | Fulham | 12 |
| Dan Burn | Newcastle United | 11 |
| Moises Caicedo | Chelsea | 11 |
| Will Hughes | Crystal Palace | 11 |
| Manuel Ugarte | Manchester United | 11 |
There is definitely room for a Diego Costa-type striker to lead Chelsea’s line with bite, but he must also have the right balance and score plenty of goals.
Ipswich fans expect Delap to succeed at Chelsea as he takes a significant step in his career. Blues manager Enzo Maresca previously coached him in Manchester City’s academy, which should give him an advantage.
Read more on sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply