Liam Delap: Premier League’s Most Coveted Striker Set For Summer Tug-Of-War
The Premier League transfer window is poised to ignite with a battle for one of English football's hottest young forwards: Liam Delap. As Ipswich Town edge closer to inevitable relegation, a £30 million release clause looms large, setting the stage for a summer showdown involving Manchester United, Chelsea, and other top-flight contenders. With Delap showcasing his scoring prowess in his first full Premier League season, the approaching window could define his career and reshape the attacking fortunes of England’s leading clubs.
The 22-year-old, son of ex-Premier League stalwart Rory Delap, has made an instant impact at Ipswich following a £20m move from Manchester City last summer. Netting 12 goals in 33 matches across all competitions—and often outshining contemporaries such as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee—Delap’s rise is drawing admiring glances and urgent transfer plans from England’s elite.
Manchester United appear the most aggressive in their pursuit, with former Watford striker Troy Deeney boldly declaring on talkSPORT: “Man United, it’s nailed on. If he went to Man United, he’d start every week. He’d instantly make them better.” Former United chief scout Mick Brown mirrors the sentiment, telling Football Insider that Ipswich’s likely relegation and a manageable release clause combine to make Delap a prime target: “There’s a distinct possibility they go for him and they’ll be exploring the chances of that one already. Ruben Amorim wants to sign a new striker, and [Delap] has proven he can do it in the Premier League.”
However, the situation is far from settled. Chelsea’s connections run deep, with manager Enzo Maresca, technical director Glenn van der Kraan, and key recruiter Joe Shields all previously working with Delap at Manchester City. Their familiarity with the striker’s abilities—combined with Stamford Bridge’s preference for players with clear release clauses—makes Chelsea serious contenders. BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella explains that, while Delap is not the only forward on Chelsea’s radar, the club’s structure and strategy favour just such a deal.
Manchester City, meanwhile, hold a £40m buy-back clause and a 20% sell-on share, but a crowded attacking roster makes a return unlikely. With Erling Haaland locked in and other talents flourishing under Pep Guardiola, City fans are bracing themselves for the growing possibility that Delap could replicate Cole Palmer's move to a rival and haunt his former club.
Analysing the numbers and prospects, pundits are effusive. Chris Sutton of BBC Sport believes Delap’s physicality and self-belief make him “an upgrade” for United and far more “all-round” than Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. Yet, he cautions that a risk exists: “Going to United with the lack of creativity they have would be a risk, but he would be an upgrade on what they have got.”
For Delap himself, the speculation swirling around his future is set aside for now. The young striker remains focused, telling media: “I’m so happy here, I’m enjoying it so much. I take every game as it comes and focus on the next. People around me have told me to stay away from the [media speculation]. It’s something I’m very good at in focusing on what I want to do. That’s playing football here.” Still, with Ipswich’s survival hopes fading, it appears only a matter of time before England’s premier goal-getters intensify their chase.
The coming weeks will undoubtedly see the Delap saga dominate headlines—and potentially rewrite the attacking blueprints of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. Will Manchester United or Chelsea outmanoeuvre the competition, or could an unexpected suitor emerge? Let us know your thoughts below—where would you like to see Delap land, and why? Join the debate and share your views as the summer drama unfolds.
