The 22-year-old, who has scored 10 Premier League goals for the Blues so far this season, was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad, allowing him to join up with the Under-21s instead.
Delap, however, was one of three players sent by Lee Carsley to join Tuchel’s training session on Tuesday afternoon, making the step-up alongside Adam Wharton and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
As a result, he was able to work alongside Bayern Munich forward Kane – the all-time top scorer in the country’s history.
"He is someone I've looked up to for ages and he's got everything," Delap revealed.
"He's had the most amazing career and he's still flying. For someone as young as me to look up to him and then be able to watch him live is an incredible experience.
"I had a little chat with him, he's a really nice guy. I watched him enough in the shooting drill to take so much from him and he's just incredible. I don't know [specifics learned], just everything goes in!
Delap & Kane / Successor & King 🏆⚽️#englandfootball #itfc pic.twitter.com/nGVhuvdUdG
— Views Of The Blues (@ViewsOfTheBlues) March 19, 2025
'His all-round game is incredible and he's played at the top level for so long now, but as a striker, it's something I really enjoy doing, to watch the best practice. It's the best I've seen.'
Whether or not Delap is in Tuchel’s future plans and close to a maiden call-up remains to be seen. Nonetheless, the experience of training with the senior squad is one that he thoroughly enjoyed.
“It was really good, the quality of there,” he told The England Pod.
“Some of the players are people we look up to. So to go and watch them and train with them, it was an incredible experience.”
There’s a lot of competition to lead the line for England. Kane is going to lead the line at major tournaments no matter what, but Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and others have had a big impact off the bench.
That gives Delap hope that – as and when he can make the step-up – he’ll be given opportunities to show what he’s capable of on the biggest stage.
“The squad in a major tournament - because you play so many games and they come around so quickly - it’s so important that everyone is ready,” he explained.
“Everyone will probably get their opportunity, so it’s always a big belief, whether you go in as first choice, third choice, fourth choice. You’re always going there with the thought process that you’re going to get an opportunity.
“You’re going to have the belief that you’ll take your opportunity when you do.”
Delap will hope to play under Tuchel soon, but U21s boss Carsley will hope to have him until the start of next season at least. The Young Lions are aiming to win the European Championship this summer, and the former Manchester City man is a big part of their forward line.
Delap is set to feature for the Young Lions this eveningDelap is set to feature for the Young Lions this evening (Image: PA)
He has previous tournament experience, having won Euro U19 three years ago. Now, he’s hungry for more success, and hopes that he can help his team lift the trophy in Slovakia in June.
“It was an incredible feeling for all of us,” Delap said about his first international silverware back in 2022. “It was a long few weeks, but we always had the belief that we could do it. To actually do it was an incredible feeling.
“The feeling that we got from it, we know we want to get that again this summer. It’s even more important that we do even better and try to get that again.”
Delap is set to feature for the U21s in tonight's friendly match against France (7:45pm). Town team-mates Omari Hutchinson and Jaden Philogene have also been called up.