Chelsea news: Liam Delap signing bolsters the Blues’ forward stocks
Chelsea have signed 22-year-old Premier League striker Liam Delap who is set to ply his trade with the West Londoners until 2031.
Delap was the shining light in a struggling and now relegated Ipswich Town in the 2024/25 campaign.
Sports News Blitz’s Aidan Leo takes a deeper look at the signing and what it could mean for the 2025/26 season.
Overjoyed with the move
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said the Blues’ new star prospect speaking with Chelsea’s official website.
“It's going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”
“Growing up watching this club and how incredible it has been over the years, I wanted to come here to win trophies.”
Despite Ipswich’s season-long struggles, Delap still managed 12 goals in his first 37 Premier League matches, making him far and away the team’s best player last season.
Signing specifics
The Blues signed their new breakout talent at a bargain of £30m after paying the release clause which went into effect in the aftermath of Ipswich’s relegation.
The West London side will need to pay £20m in the immediate future, with the rest set to be paid out in installments.
Ipswich also have a sell-on clause, in the event that Chelsea let go of their rising star at a later date.
2025/26 season outlook
Delap rejoins Manchester City youth team compatriots Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia, as well as manager Enzo Maresca himself.
This naturally sets the stage as to why Delap was signed in the first place.
With the scrutiny that has seemed to follow Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson since his arrival in West London, Delap looks all set to take the reins and alleviate the burden Jackson has had to carry over the past two seasons.
“When I spoke to the club, everyone wanted to get back to the very top, and they have the quality and the players to do that.”
“The hunger and desire to keep adding trophies, to take the club back to where it belongs, that is the main objective,” says Delap.
The up-and-comer will hope to make his mark in a position that has been all but cursed since the departure of hard-man Diego Costa in 2017.
Personal thoughts
I am pleased with the signing. Chelsea have needed to strengthen their attacking force for a while now.
It was widely accepted across the fanbase that the Blues needed a striker in the January transfer window, which subsequently failed to materialise.
Despite the delight from the fans with the signing of Delap, I have my reservations pertaining to the expectations on his young shoulders.
Many strikers have come to the league or have gone to a traditional top six team as Delap has just done, and struggled.
And these are all strikers of varying profiles of play.
As good as Delap is as a rising prospect and talent, the smart thing for the club to do will be to sign an experienced striker in Europe to make his integration into the team a lot smoother.
To have him be in and out of the team, to start some games and to be on the bench for others, to truly realise and enact his potential.
The same fans exaggerating the signing will be the same ones who turn on him if things do not go well.
The smarter and more nuanced take would be to accept he is a developing young player whose playing minutes need to progress gradually, and whose ability needs to be nurtured over time.
However, if he is to be the Blues' starting frontman, then heavy lies the crown, and he must demonstrate resilience - for where there is laudation, criticism inevitably follows.
Godspeed to the Blues’ young marksman.
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