Ipswich Town will be without one of their most prized assets in the Championship next season, and EFL Analysis can exclusively reveal how the club completed some brilliant business in the move.
After Ipswich Town suffered relegation to the Championship after just one season in the top flight, Premier League vultures have begun circling over Portman Road.
In the dugout, head coach Kieran McKenna’s future at the Tractor Boys is uncertain amid McKenna’s latest links to the Brentford job, and losing the man who masterminded their successive promotions would be a monumental blow to their aspirations next season.
Before the summer transfer window shut for a week due to the Club World Cup, Chelsea signed Liam Delap for a £30 million fee, with the striker penning a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
Despite losing their star man, EFL Analysis can reveal that the Ipswich hierarchy pulled off a masterstroke during the negotiations over Delap with the Blues.
Liam Delap during Ipswich Town FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Ipswich Town masterstroke in Liam Delap transfer to Chelsea
During his first season at Ipswich, Englishman Delap fired 12 goals and notched two assists in 37 appearances, but could not help McKenna’s side stave off relegation from the top flight.
His goalscoring prowess and potential to develop into one of the league’s most prolific frontmen saw Chelsea shell out a £30 million fee for his services, to trigger the release clause in his Tractor Boys contract which was activated after their relegation from the Premier League.
It’s regarding this release clause, and the subsequent sell-on fee Ipswich have negotiated with the London outfit, which has constituted some stellar business from the club’s hierarchy.
In an EFL Analysis exclusively, Chief Football correspondent Graeme Bailey revealed: “I thought the Delap deal was really, really interesting, actually.
“It is very rare that a club manages to negotiate a sell-on clause in a deal when it was a simple case of a release clause being met to get the transfer done.
“There was a new sell-on clause put in there by Ipswich, but that obviously allowed Chelsea to really lower the fee that they were paying in one installment.
“Normally, when a release clause is paid, that’s it. If a player has gone through a release clause, there will not be any sell-on fee or any additional add-ons because that’s the whole point of release clause; you pay the price and it’s done.
“But, with this one, there were negotiations done over the deal and how much Chelsea were paying and there was actually a sell-on clause inserted into that deal. That is very rare indeed.”
Now, Ipswich are faced with the thankless task of trying to replace one of English football’s top young centre-forward prospects ahead of their Championship campaign.
However, there is one standout striker option the club must be targeting, who has been a longstanding target for the Tractor Boys.
Middlesbrough FC v Cardiff City FC - Sky Bet Championship
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Emmanuel Latte Lath would be perfect Liam Delap replacement at Ipswich Town
Ahead of the 2025/26 Championship campaign, Ipswich have begun to target Delap’s replacement, with several potential signings lined up.
However, there is one name staring the Tractor Boys recruitment team in the face, that the club should be pursuing this summer in the wake of Delap’s transfer to Chelsea.
EFL Analysis exclusively revealed in May that former Middlesbrough forward Emmanuel Latte Lath is eyeing a Championship return just months after leaving Boro, and that Ipswich want to sign him, after their failed move for the Ivorian on deadline day last summer.
Key statistic Liam Delap in 24/25 Emmanuel Latte Lath in 24/25
Games 37 45
Goals 12 16
Assists 2 4
Liam Delap and Emmanuel Latte Lath league records in 24/25
In January, Ipswich tried to sign him again before he moved to the MLS to Atlanta United, in a deal which Boro netted £22.5 million.
Latte Lath’s proven goalscoring record in the second tier with Boro, and his reported intent to return to English football, paves the way for Ipswich to finally secure the services of their longstanding target, whose finishing exploits would propel them to Premier League promotion next term.