Newcastle United remain keen on Liam Delap after failing to sign the striker last summer, with Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke revealing exclusively that Eddie Howe’s side are monitoring the 23-year-old’s situation at Chelsea ahead of a possible approach this summer, as Xabi Alonso begins his squad assessment at Stamford Bridge.
Delap scored just three goals in 47 appearances across all competitions in a deeply underwhelming debut Chelsea season, having arrived from Ipswich Town in a deal that was expected to make him one of the most important strikers in the Premier League. His last goal came in early January.
He is contracted until 2031, which gives Chelsea the leverage to demand a significant fee. Any interested club will need to pay handsomely for a player who, despite a disappointing season, remains highly regarded as a long-term prospect.
Liam Delap Newcastle United interest: what O’Rourke revealed
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Speaking on Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, O’Rourke confirmed the ongoing Tyneside admiration for Delap and set out the conditions under which a move might happen.
“We know Newcastle are admirers of Delap. They were one of the clubs that were looking to sign him from Ipswich last summer before he did make that move to Stamford Bridge. Obviously it has been a difficult debut season for Delap in West London. He is under contract until 2031, so look, Chelsea will be looking at a decent fee for Delap if they were to consider selling him.”
Everton are also reported to be admirers. Football Insider understand that Delap will need to impress Alonso in pre-season training to earn a longer stay at Chelsea, with the incoming manager expected to pursue attacking reinforcements of his own this summer.
Newcastle willing to sell Wissa to fund Delap pursuit
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Football Insider understand that Newcastle are prepared to sell Yoane Wissa this summer, a development directly connected to their striker planning. The Belgian was signed from Brentford for £55m but suffered a serious knee injury that delayed his debut until December, and managed just three goals in 28 appearances from that point.
Wissa still has three years remaining on his contract, meaning any buyer will face a significant fee. But Newcastle’s willingness to move him on reflects a shift in their attacking hierarchy. Will Osula ended the season as Howe’s first-choice striker ahead of Wissa, with Nick Woltemade having been repositioned into attacking midfield.
The logic is clear: sell Wissa, use the funds to pursue a more reliable option. Delap, despite his difficult Chelsea season, has shown across his career at Hull City and Ipswich that he can score consistently when given a proper run in a side built around him. Newcastle believe the right environment could unlock the version of him that made every Premier League club take notice in 2024-25.
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