There was quite a bit of excitement last summer when Chelsea signed Liam Delap.
Delap was an attacking addition who had just had an impressive season in the Premier League as an Ipswich Town player.
Unfortunately for the striker, though, he has not been able to live up to the hype for more than one reason.
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Nicolas Jackson, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Emanuel Emegha
Photo by S. Mellar/FC Bayern/Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/George Wood/Mikolaj Barbanell/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Since joining Chelsea, Delap has been criticised and his future is already uncertain. However, that should not be the case.
Liam Delap of Chelsea looks dejected
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Liam Delap has the potential to develop into a top Premier League centre-forward
According to the Daily Briefing, Chelsea could sell Delap in the summer just one year after signing the 23-year-old. It would be sad to see them give up on him so soon.
Delap’s season has been disrupted by injuries, so it would be harsh to make a complete judgement on him based on this campaign. Chelsea need to look back at last season and remember why they signed Delap in the first place.
At Ipswich, Delap showed signs that he could develop into a top Premier League centre-forward one day. In 37 appearances, the Englishman scored 12 goals, which is an excellent return for a youngster playing in a side that got relegated.
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Chelsea players with hat-trick of assists
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At 6’2″, Delap is a decent height for a striker, while he is also strong and physical, making him well-suited to English football.
Of course, the Chelsea man can cross the line at times. He has been sent off once this season and picked up 12 yellow cards in the previous Premier League campaign, which is simply too many for a striker.
As Delap matures and with more discipline from his manager, that can be ironed out, though.
Liam Rosenior manager / head coach of Chelsea and Liam Delap
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea should loan Liam Delap
The best solution for Chelsea would be to loan Delap to another Premier League club and see how he gets on.
If the England Under-21 international struggles, they can sell him the following year. If not, he can be reintegrated into the first team.
Liam Rosenior is likely to be happy to keep him around. “He started our press so well,” the Chelsea manager said via Chelsea’s official club website when discussing Delap’s recent performance against Hull City. “It was a top, top display.” Some of his bosses, however, may have other ideas.
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