Liam Delap has found it difficult in his debut year at Chelsea but the club internally are still confident he has all the makings of a top Premier League striker
Liam Delap moved to Chelsea in the summer - but has found it difficult to produce thus far
Liam Delap moved to Chelsea in the summer - but has found it difficult to produce thus far(Image: Julian Finney)
View 2 Images
Chelsea are still confident that Liam Delap has the quality to be a top striker in the Premier League - despite him scoring just once in the league.
The Englishman made the move from Ipswich after their relegation with the Blues paying his £30million release clause. Delap opted to move to Stamford Bridge despite having several other clubs - Manchester United among them - keen on his services.
Delap has found it difficult to rediscover the form of last term and, so far, has found goals hard to come by. He's also behind Joao Pedro in the pecking order, leading to questions over his Chelsea future after just a matter of months.
But Sky Sports claims that senior figures at the club believe Delap’s struggles are down to injury setbacks and are more than willing to give him more time to prove his worth.
The England U21 international was injured in the win over Fulham back in August, sidelining him for months, and was then dealt another setback against Bournemouth in December. The plethora of options in Chelsea's frontline means that, even when fit, minutes will be a challenge.
New Blues boss Liam Rosenior has seen Pedro hit top form, scoring a recent hat-trick in a win at Aston Villa. And whilst he acknowledges his red hot form he maintains that Delap is still someone who will get a shot - and is confident he can produce when it comes.
"You need a group," he said. "Joao [Pedro] is on fire, but that’s nothing on Delap. I expect Liam, when he does get his opportunity to take it, to show his quality. So it’s not comparing players. Liam will have his opportunities to play in big games. It’s up to him to take it, and I’m confident that he will."
Injuries have continued to halt the striker's progress
Injuries have continued to halt the striker's progress(Image: 2025 Catherine Ivill - AMA)
View 2 Images
Jamie Carragher has suggested that Delap made the leap from Ipswich to Chelsea too soon, claiming that a team in between the two would've been the better move for his career.
He claimed: "I just think young players, when they’re on a journey and getting better… the jump from Ipswich and Chelsea was too big, he needed somewhere in the middle.
"Somewhere like Everton. If you play centre forward for Everton and play every game and know even if you have a few bad games you’re still going to play. Whereas at Chelsea he’s never sure he’s going to play, even if he starts. Sometimes the jump is too big, you need that team in the middle."
FREE William Hill Shop Bets inside your Mirror every day of Cheltenham
Don't miss a FREE shop bet inside your favourite racing paper every day of the Cheltenham festival! Plus, get expert inside from our top tipsters with pullouts every day from Tuesday March 10 - Friday March 13, 2026 covering the runners, riders, and everything you need to make the 102nd Cheltenham festival the biggest ever. Find out more here.
Bet 18+ only. Terms and conditions apply. See paper for details.