Chelsea 'closing in on Liam Delap transfer' as reason for Man Utd snub emerges
Chelsea are working hard to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich.
Chelsea could be about to land Manchester United’s first major blow of the summer transfer window as they reportedly close in on signing Liam Delap. The Blues are the frontrunners to land the Ipswich forward after he embarked on a series of talks with Prmeier League clubs.
Ipswich have said that Delap will depart with their blessing, having failed to remain in the top-flight this season. Several clubs are said to have been prepared to match his £30million release clause. The 22-year-old held discussions with a multiple clubs but is now reported to be leaning towards a move to Chelsea.
According to talkSPORT, United's failure to qualify for the Champions League has worked against them. Ruben Amorim's side finished 15th in the Premier League and floundered in the final chance to enter Europe's premium club competition by losing the Europa League final against Tottenham.
Delap reportedly prefers the idea of playing for Chelsea in the Champions League next season. It is a cautionary tale that may prove instructive of how United's battles with their rivals for big-money players may play out over the coming months.
Chelsea finished fourth thanks to a final-day victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend. They will play in the Champions League for the first time since 2022-23, when they reached the quarter-finals.
Delap, a former Manchester City prospect who scored 15 Premier League goals last season, is also said to have spoken to Newcastle and Everton. The Magpies also qualified for the Champions League but the England U21 star has reportedly turned them down.
Chelsea are keen to bolster their attacking options with another forward and will now likely land Delap. He will compete with Nicolas Jackson for the No. 9 role next term. Jackson has struggled for consisteny since his own £30m switch from Villarreal two years ago.
Centre-forwards are in high demand this summer. United, Arsenal and Liverpool are expected to strengthen in that area. Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike and Viktor Gyokeres have all been linked with moves to the Premier League.
Delap's reported snub of United could force the Old Trafford outfit to look elsewhere. Rasmus Hojlund struggled for goals last season, while Joshua Zirkzee endured a tough first season in English football.
