Latest developments
- Chelsea are keen on signing Ipswich Town's Liam Delap.
- The Blues could face competition from Delap's former club, Manchester City.
- The striker has scored six times so far in his debut Premier League season.
Whisper+ analysis
Authenticity (2/5): Source information questionable
Chelsea are set to swoop for Ipswich Town's Liam Delap and try to beat the striker's former employers Man City to his signature.
That is the word of footballinsider247.com, who regularly name their sources, but are keeping us in the dark on this occasion.
Value (3.5/5): Price starting to rocket
The Cityzens let their academy product go for an initial £15 million last summer, and since then Delap has averaged a goal every other game as Kieran McKenna's men have tried to get to grips with Premier League life.
No fee has been mentioned, but we can expect Chelsea to have to fork out much more than £15 million. However, they might struggle to get to the negotiating table at all, given that City are said to have a buy back option on the forward, providing them with first refusal.
Suitability (4.5/5): Can score goals for fun
Having put up those numbers for a side with one win all season, one can only wonder what Delap will be capable of at Stamford Bridge with the likes of Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke working for him.
His strength and technical ability are ideal attributes for a striker who scores bucketloads of Premier League goals.
Upgrade? (3.5/5): Needs to show consistency
That said, he is still only 21 and yet to prove if this scoring rate is his norm, or just a purple patch.
At centre-forward, Nicolas Jackson would be the only real rival to Delap for the starting berth and though not everyone's cup of tea, it is worth noting that the Senegalese leads Delap 7-6 in terms of league goals this campaign.
Logic (3/5): Homecoming awaiting?
Delap managed six first-team appearances for the club he joined as a youth player in 2019, and the chance to complete unfinished business at the Etihad will be appealing.
That said, he will be trying to do said business as Erling Haaland's back-up, and instead has a much greater chance of regular starts under Enzo Maresca, who knows him from their mutual time at Man City.
Whisper+ verdict: 16.5/25
Delap may not be the answer to all Chelsea's prayers, but a move to the Blues looks to be the marginally better option for him, over a return to Man City. After all, there's a reason they say “never go back”!
