Chelsea has agreed personal terms with Liam Delap on a six-year contract after beating Manchester United to his services. Delap, 22, was extensively connected with a move to Old Trafford, but has decided to join Chelsea, where he will work with former coach Enzo Maresca.
The Ipswich striker was coached by Maresca in Manchester City’s youth, and the Blues manager has used his personal influence to assist secure the £30 million move. Chelsea’s qualification for the Champions League also had an impact, as United had missed out on European football entirely.
The Athletic reports that Delap will get a medical on Monday before signing a contract that will last until June 2031. It’s a very standard contract duration for a 22-year-old compared to those handed out under Todd Boehly’s cash-happy reign.
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When Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk joined Chelsea, they signed contracts for eight and a half years each. The Blues implemented this system to write off a player’s cost over a longer period of time (the duration of their contract).
Delap will not break records at Chelsea, as his £30 million release clause became active after Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League. Maresca is a great supporter of the England young international, who will compete in the under-21 European Championship this month, and wants him to battle Nicolas Jackson for a starting spot at Stamford Bridge next season.
“To compare Liam with Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, I think it’s a bit early,” the Chelsea boss stated in April. “But, without a doubt, he has that type of style. They’re all real nines. They are No. 9s inside the package.
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