City are preparing their most important summer in a decade
12:00, 04 Jun 2026
Liam Delap played in Chelsea's 4-0 FA Cup win at the MKM Stadium back in February
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Liam Delap played in Chelsea's 4-0 FA Cup win at the MKM Stadium back in February(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Hull City are open to the idea of bringing back Liam Delap to the MKM Stadium as the Tigers prepare for life in the Premier League, but a deal looks a long way off.
The 23-year-old joined Chelsea last summer in a £30m deal following Ipswich Town's relegation, and is thought to be on in excess of £100,000 per week at Stamford Bridge.
While City would be keen to strike a move for their former loan striker, the figures involved in doing a deal at this stage would appear challenging.
The Tigers pushed hard to sign Delap following his loan spell in East Yorkshire two years ago, before he went to Portman Road to spearhead their first Premier League campaign. City owner Acun Ilicali and the club's recruitment team remain big fans, while Sergej Jakirovic is thought to like the striker.
Chelsea wants to recoup as much money as possible for a player who scored two goals in 41 games for the Blues, who endured a poor campaign, which makes it tough for City to get a deal done at this stage.
Delap ended the season without a goal in his last 26 games and was clearly a victim of the upheaval on the Kings Road, which saw Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior leave, and the club ended the campaign with Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane in his second caretaker spell in charge.
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Injuries also played a key part in disrupting any momentum in Delap's season, with a hamstring and then a dislocated shoulder ensuring any hopes of surpassing the 12 goals he scored for the Tractor Boys in the campaign before were dashed.
Xabi Alonso will take over this summer, and Delap will hope to arrive back in pre-season ready and raring to go, but at this stage, any potential return to a club he holds great affection for looks remote unless Chelsea lowers their expectations.
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Meanwhile, the Tigers are understood to be considering moving on some squad players before the end of June to ensure they do not fall foul of the EFL's Financial Fair Play rules and risk an overspend which could see them punished, despite promotion to the Premier League. Any punishment from the EFL could see the Premier League impose points deductions, so the Tigers will be keen to avoid that.
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