Chelsea confident of sealing £30m deal for Liam Delap in major blow to Man Utd

Manchester United will face this summer, with Chelsea ready to go head to head for his signature. following their relegation from the and is widely expected to be one of the first deals done when the transfer window opens on June 1 – but his destination remains unclear.

The 22-year-old striker has caught the eye by contributing 12 goals and two assists in 35 Premier League matches for Ipswich this season. He has proven his ability, despite playing in a struggling side, and his £30million release clause has been activated by Ipswich’s relegation.

The fact he will leave and for how much are not in question, but whether he will go to United or is up in the air. Despite their dreadful domestic campaign this season, Delap preferred a move to United over Chelsea.

He had been earmarked for alongside ’ Matheus Cunha, with Ruben Amorim desperate to get reinforcements up front.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

But Delap’s decision could be swayed by the result of the final, where United face next Wednesday for a piece of silverware and a place in next season’s .

By contrast, Chelsea sit fifth in the Premier League with two matches left to play and are therefore already poised to qualify for the Champions League. reports that the Blues also have the advantage in the form of Enzo Maresca, who coached Delap during his time in ’s academy.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's recruitment director Joe Shields played a role in sealing Delap's move from Derby to City's academy in 2019.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Which club should Liam Delap choose this summer? .

Like United, Chelsea are in need of a striker, with Nicolas Jackson the only senior centre-forward in Maresca’s squad. Delap should therefore be confident of securing game time at Stamford Bridge were he to choose west London over Manchester.

His Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has no doubt that he has what it takes to succeed at a top club – although he still wants to keep hold of him. “As I've said before, I think there's certainly a possibility that he's an Ipswich player next year,” he said last month.

"I don't think anything's decided in anyone's mind. But can Liam play for the biggest clubs in the country, the biggest clubs in the He certainly can. I fully believe that.

"He's already shown the impact he can have at Premier League level in a team that have really been fighting for everything. I think he can have an outstanding impact at this level.

"He's happy and he's developing really well here. He has the potential. I think he will, in his career, go on to do some really, really good things."

and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our