Plenty of eyes will be on Chelsea's new striker and the latest in a long line of hopefuls to wear the No.9 shirt as the Club World Cup kicks off in America. Liam Delap is that man but perhaps some expectations must be tempered.
Delap, after all, will be getting used to operating in a possession-heavy team for the first time in his senior career. Although you could argue he did so at Manchester City, the 22-year-old hardly played.
Now, under his former City development squad head coach, Enzo Maresca, Delap is tasked with leading the line for a side competing at the top. For £30million, it looks to be a shrewd piece of business.
Those expecting Delap to come straight in and take the spot away from Nicolas Jackson may well be disappointed, though. Delap might get plenty of chances over the summer, and he will surely start the first Premier League game in Jackson's absence through suspension, but beyond that it really is up for grabs.
Delap is the new signing but Jackson has been the undoubted first choice (albeit without much alternative) for two years. He hasn't ever truly had a fight on his hands. Injuries to Armando Broja and Christopher Nkunku in season one left Jackson to act as the sole senior centre forward at the club whilst nothing was done to remedy the situation last summer either.
To an extent, you could see this in Jackson's performances after Christmas. From kicking on from a positive end to 2023/24, Jackson started under Maresca like a demon. He scored eight in his first 13 league games, assisting three along the way. By December 13 he was up to nine and well on course to score more than the 14 he had last term.
What followed was a run of 12 without a goal, including eight before a six-week injury threatened to derail Chelsea's season. His return to the side in April did coincide with a better run for Chelsea - three defeats in five turned to six unbeaten - but his output still lacked.
Jackson again underperformed his expected goals (xG) and the direction of travel was already to buy a new striker. Delap had been a target in January, although it was never likely to go through.
When Jackson was sent off away to Newcastle United three games from the end, many foresaw it as the end of Chelsea's Champions League hopes and maybe even the closing chapter in his career at Stamford Bridge. It was easy to see why.
Jackson had let his teammates down when they needed him most. The fact that Maresca and Chelsea got through with two edgy 1-0 wins to seal a top five spot is a credit to them and something Jackson will be thankful for.
It was still clear that Jackson would have a new dynamic when he returned to league selection in August. Within a week of the summer window being open, Delap arrived and gave Jackson something he hasn't had so far in England; Genuine competition.
On the one hand, this should spur Jackson on to improve and be more consistent. It will also offer Maresca an alternative during matches when Jackson tires or isn't working.
Delap and Jackson both like transitions and space to work in but they have different profiles. Jackson is a link man whereas Delap does very little passing and tends to go it alone before shooting. Jackson is not great in the air but Delap is strong.
This variety will be valuable for Chelsea, Maresca, and the two strikers. Both will want to cement themselves as first choice because there is very little room to have two in the team.
Whilst Delap's arrival is definitely a message to Jackson, it would be a surprise if a player with 34 goal contributions from 65 appearances (59 starts) was not ahead in the pecking order initially. That is not something which always looked likely.
Nicolas Jackson was sent off for serious foul play against Newcastle.
Nicolas Jackson was sent off for serious foul play against Newcastle. (Image: Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
There is a long way to go in the summer window but Chelsea have one striker through the door and can now take a more relaxed approach to seeking out a second, should one come up. Hugo Ekitike, for example, is not going to be signed for £84.5million.
Nick Woltemade of Stuttgart has also been mooted. Other names are sure to be on the list of potential targets, including Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen if a change of circumstance arises.
Some will be frustrated to know that Chelsea are not willing to match Eintracht Frankfurt's asking price for Ekitike or that Gyokeres and Osimhen are not deemed financially viable or the right fit currently. This is a possible £114.5million commitment to buying another forward as well as Delap.
Jackson, the argument goes, has had two years to assert himself and has failed even with a strong but not incredible return. His end-of-season actions could easily have flipped things in favour of Delap or other strikers coming in. Jackson has been described as the perfect No.9 by Maresca before, though, so it would be wrong to think his time has come to an end.
There have been suggestions that Jackson could be sold this summer if Chelsea were to find suitable replacements. For now, he will be back in Maresca's thoughts for the Club World Cup in a defining few months, which look set to see him reinstated in a new environment up front.
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