Liam Delap has reportedly given Chelsea the go-ahead to secure his signature this summer, despite earlier indications that he was leaning towards a move to Manchester United. The 22-year-old striker, who netted an impressive 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich, is available for a bargain £30m, thanks to a release clause activated by the Tractor Boys’ relegation. This has put Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle, and Everton on high alert.
Initial reports suggested the England U21 international was torn between United and Chelsea, with a slight preference for the Red Devils, as per talkSPORT. However, Chelsea now appear to have the upper hand and are “confident” of clinching the deal. The Blues’ ability to offer Champions League football next season, secured by their dramatic fourth-place finish following a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, is believed to be the deciding factor.
The news of Delap’s potential Chelsea move broke on the same day the Blues lifted the Europa Conference League trophy after a thrilling 4-1 victory over Real Betis. Despite an early stumble when Abde Ezzalzouli capitalized on a Malo Gusto error, Chelsea roared back in the second half. Cole Palmer dazzled with two exquisite assists for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson, while Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo sealed the win.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Joe Cole expressed his confidence in Delap’s imminent arrival at Stamford Bridge. “I’ll actually be stunned if he isn’t at Chelsea,” Cole said. Meanwhile, Steve Sidwell drew comparisons to a young Alan Shearer, praising Delap as “an out-and-out number nine who knows where the goal is.”
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s manager, hailed the Conference League triumph as a potential turning point for his young squad. “Hopefully, it can be a starting point toward further success in the future,” he said. “To build a winning mentality, you need to win games and competitions. For sure, the trophy we won tonight will make us better.”
However, the day wasn’t all good news for Manchester United. Reports from the Telegraph revealed that Newcastle have “everything in place” to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, a player United had previously held talks with. This double blow leaves Erik ten Hag’s side facing an uphill battle in the transfer market.
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