United are keen to sign the Ipswich Town forward this summer
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Ipswich Town's Liam Delap warms up before the Premier League match at Portman Road.
Manchester United are one of the clubs interested in signing Liam Delap this summer.
(Image: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.)
Manchester United's pursuit of Liam Delap won't be worthwhile unless they sign an experienced forward for the England under-21 international to learn from, too.
That is the frank verdict of United legend Paul Scholes, who is a fan of Delap but isn't sure the Ipswich Town forward will be able to solve United's goalscoring woes alone next season.
United are keen to sign the 22-year-old this summer and he has a £30million release clause in his contract at Portman Road. Alongside Wolves' Matheus Cunha, Delap has been identified as one of United's top targets this summer.
Despite Ipswich's relegation from the Premier League, Delap has scored 12 goals this season and he has been linked with a move to the likes of Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea, too.
By contrast, United's two current forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have only managed seven Premier League goals between them this term.
Hojlund, 22, and Zirkzee, 23, have struggled to flourish under the weight of expectation that is placed on a United forward and Scholes fears Delap, who is of a similar age profile to the pair, may also suffer similar woes at Old Trafford.
"United have been linked with signing him and I like Liam Delap," Scholes told TNT Sports.
"But he still needs one or two more strikers with him who have got some experience. We’ve been down this road with Rasmus Hojlund coming in as a young striker, and it hasn’t quite worked out so far.
"Again, Delap could be another young striker going to a big club, and you just don’t know what to expect with the club not in a great place at the minute.
"I always say that Manchester United should have three or four top strikers. Right now, they’ve got one who hasn’t really done it, so to sign Delap would be great, but he has to be part of two or three proper centre-forwards."
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