There’s no denying it’s been a disappointing first season at Chelsea for Liam Delap, and I’m told five clubs are now monitoring his situation.
At the moment, the summer loanee is more than a permanent sale, but some sources I’ve spoken to have yet to release a final verdict on this £30m flop signing from Ipswich Town, as first reported here in the Daily Briefing.
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Delap could still get a chance to turn things around between now and the end of the season, but with just one Premier League goal to his name since his move to Stamford Bridge, he is up against saving his Blues job now.
Even if Chelsea feel they are investing in a future striker with Delap, the west Londoners have also shown they can’t shut up about these things, with other players such as Joao Felix, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga leaving not long after joining as they didn’t make the impact they wanted.
Delap could be next, according to my sources, with the final decision coming soon, but the clubs are already trying to keep up with developments.
“Delap may not have long at Chelsea,” one industry source told me. “It’s clear he’s struggled, and they’ll be open for loan this summer – maybe with an option or an obligation to buy, but don’t be surprised if they’re open to a permanent offer straight away.”
“I would be surprised if Delap is at Chelsea next season,” said another source. “I hear that many clubs are already aware and considering their next steps.”
Many sources insist that there has been no direct contact between the suitors and Delap, nor any team-to-team discussions with Chelsea, but the teams to watch are Manchester United, Newcastle United, Everton, Brighton, and Sunderland.
“Man United were really interested in Delap last summer and at one point they felt they were in a strong position,” another source said. “Their love for the player has not changed.”
We’ve seen rival clubs do business in recent years, including Chelsea and United, but it remains to be seen how the Blues would feel about allowing Delap to move to Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho moved to the other side last summer, and we also saw Mason Mount move from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford recently.
Still, it might seem a bit risky to let Delap join United just yet, so let’s see if Chelsea instead try to strike a deal with the likes of Everton, Brighton, and Sunderland.
One thing that seems increasingly certain is that Delap’s stay at Chelsea could end up being short-lived, although the details of his summer move are still to be decided.
