Liam Delap is reportedly ready to break Chelsea’s ‘cursed’ shirt number and willing to take on the challenge of leading the line for the club.
After triggering a release clause in his contract at relegated Ipswich Town, where he has excelled in the previous season, scoring 12 Premier League goals, the Blues announced the acquisition of the England under-21 forward on Wednesday evening.
Despite Delap’s relatively low sum of £30 million, Chelsea have spent over £550 million on strikers over the past 22 years.
According to The Mirror, Delap has made the decision to become the first Chelsea player to wear the No. 9 shirt since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left Stamford Bridge two years ago following a blink-and-you’ve-missed-it run of just three goals in 21 games.
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Aubameyang’s dismal spell at Chelsea is indicative of the difficulties the team’s No. 9s faced throughout the Premier League era.
Who Are The Other Players That Have Donned The No.9 Shirt For Chelsea?
Romelu Lukaku owned the shirt before Aubameyang did, having returned to west London for his second stint in 2021.
Before deciding to return to Inter Milan on loan, the Belgium striker would struggle at the Blues, scoring just eight Premier League goals in 26 games.
When Gonzalo Higuain made the move in January 2019, he, along with the other poor Chelsea no.9s, fell short of expectations.
He was Maurizio Sarri’s ideal acquisition; having successfully managed the Argentinean at Napoli, he knew how to bring out the best in a striker.
Three years ago, Higuain scored 91 goals in 146 games in Naples, but in England, he was a completely different player. Before rejoining Juventus, he scored five goals in 19 games.
Alvaro Morata, who came in 2017 for almost £60 million, was Higuain’s predecessor. The former Real Madrid player, who scored 15 goals in his debut season, had a lot of expectations.
Morata even attempted to switch his shirt number to 29, but his second season saw him score just five Premier League goals, which made matters worse.
All of this followed Radamel Falcao’s attempt to assume control despite his dismal season at Manchester United.
In 2015, he came from Monaco on loan with the intention of moving permanently. He was limited to just 12 games and only managed one goal due to issues with his conditioning and the tempo of the game.
Over the years, Chris Sutton, Mateja Kezman, Fernando Torres, and Franco di Santo have all struggled to wear the No. 9 shirt for the Blues.
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