Former Manchester United winger Luke Chadwick believes that Liam Delap could become the ‘main man’ should his reported move to the Red Devils be finalised this summer.
Speculation has suggested that Delap, who is believed to have a £30m relegation release clause in his Ipswich Town contract, favours a switch to Old Trafford ahead of joining other interested parties such as Chelsea and Newcastle United.
It comes following what has been a breakthrough campaign for the ex-Manchester City youngster, who has scored 12 Premier League goals and laid on two assists in a struggling Ipswich side.
Liam Delap has been linked with a £30m switch to Manchester United. Picture: Barry Goodwin
And Chadwick, who made 39 appearances for Man United before embarking on a career with the likes of West Ham United, Stoke City, Norwich City, MK Dons and his boyhood club Cambridge United, has backed Delap to be a success if he seals a return to the north west.
“He's a bit of a throwback, isn't he? You saw him growing up at Man City and physically, he was always above the other players within his age group and you wondered, would he take that into professional football? He went out on a couple of loans where he wasn't fantastic and then went to Ipswich, where he's been great,” Chadwick told Suffolk News.
“You only have to look at the amount of goals he's scored in the Premier League. He seems to, particularly a few months in, have grown in arrogance – in a good way. You see him at Old Trafford (in February) and he's shoving them all over the place and he's getting stuck into it.
“It feels like he's at a time now where he can go and play at a top club. Unfortunately, Man United isn’t the top club at the moment, but I think bringing someone like that in would be brilliant for Man United. I think it would be a brilliant move for Delap as well.
“Obviously, Ipswich fans aren't going to want me to say that, but he's probably going to move on. You feel he could go to one of the top four clubs, but I don't know if he'd play consistently. I think he could go in at Man United and be the main man.
“If he hits the ground running, he could be part of a Manchester United squad that's getting back to where all the Manchester United fans hope it can get to. So, I do think him going to United would be a really good move for both parties. But again, I'm sure he's going to have a number of options come the end of the season.”
What has particularly impressed Chadwick about the England Under-21 international this term is a combination of his ‘confidence’ and an ability to physically impose himself on defenders.
Chadwick – a Premier League winner in 2000/01 – added: “Obviously, seeing him play at City, you thought within them young ages that he’s an incredible goalscorer, but he probably didn't have that sort of ego, arrogance, whatever you want to call it.
“But then I think the confidence that he's developed this season, scoring in the Premier League, he knows he's a good player. He knows he's big and strong, and he can bully players to a certain extent. I think it's really coming out of him more and more, and I think while he's still scoring goals, that's just going to continue.
“And the fact that I'm sure he can see that there's a lot of big clubs that are looking at him, that does give you a lot of confidence.”
Not Just A Pretty Face: The Luke Chadwick Story is out now.