Chelsea have supposedly earmarked Ipswich Town frontman Liam Delap as a possible transfer target for the summer of 2025.
Even though the Tractor Boys have just one win to their name in the current top-flight season and are languishing in 17th place in the Premier League table, their predicament is no fault of the former Manchester City striker.
From 11 appearances in the top division this season, Delap has contributed six goals and one assist, both scoring and setting up Sammie Szmodics in Ipswich's shock 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur two weekends ago.
Delap has scored half of Ipswich's top-flight goals in 2024-25, and the 21-year-old is one of just three Premier League players to have bagged at least 50% of their team's league goals in the current season, the others being Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.
Ipswich forked out £14.8m to bring Delap to Portman Road from Man City in the summer, and the England Under-21 international's contract runs until 2029, but Ipswich may be facing an uphill battle to keep hold of him if they are swiftly relegated back down to the second tier.
Delap 'scores highly' on Chelsea transfer metrics
© Imago
According to i, Delap's displays in the early stage of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign have caught the eye of Chelsea, who have been attracted to several of the striker's physical characteristics.
The report claims that the Blues rate his movement, acceleration and physical presence 'exceptionally highly', but Chelsea are just one of a few Premier League clubs running the rule over his performances.
However, Chelsea and other clubs' pursuit of Delap may be complicated by City's £20m buyback clause, especially as the Citizens did not directly replace Atletico Madrid-bound Julian Alvarez over the summer.
Haaland represents the only out-and-out centre-forward in Man City's ranks at the moment, and the Premier League champions could very well target a backup to the Scandinavian sensation in 2025.
Delap is likely to demand regular game time at this stage of his career, though, which he is unlikely to receive at the Etihad unless Pep Guardiola alters his system to start the 21-year-old and Haaland up top together, a tweak that is difficult to envisage.
Could Chelsea target Delap over Osimhen, Isak?
© Imago
Chelsea's apparent interest in Delap comes at a time when Nicolas Jackson is thriving in Enzo Maresca's system, conjuring up six goals and three assists from 11 top-flight matches in the current campaign.
The Blues are expected to pursue a new number nine regardless of Jackson's displays, though, and Victor Osimhen was believed to have been their prime target over the summer, but they failed to agree terms on a transfer with Napoli.
The Nigerian subsequently joined Galatasaray on loan and has affirmed that he will spend the rest of the season in Turkey, but a bidding war looks set to materialise in 2025, when Chelsea could reignite their interest if Napoli's financial demands are fair.
However, the report adds Delap may be more of a priority given that he is a few years younger and would not command the extortionate wages that Osimhen would, while a move for Newcastle United's Alexander Isak is also off the cards.
The Sweden international is believed to be totally settled in the North East and has no plans to leave St James' Park, even if Newcastle fail to qualify for Europe next season.
Ben Knapton
