Liam Delap will be seeking a move away from Ipswich Town this summer to avoid dropping from the Premier League to the Championship.
As one of the most promising strikers to emerge in the Premier League this season, it’s unlikely that Liam Delap will be staying at Portman Road to return to the Championship.
Delap, 22, has been attracting attention from several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, but it is understood that United are leading the race for his signature.
The former Manchester City academy star has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season, outscoring every player in United’s first team.
Reports suggest Ruben Amorim has identified Delap as his main striker target for the summer, although United are also trying to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolves.
Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Liam Delap tipped to become ‘main man’ at Manchester United
Manchester United are still looking for a striker to lead the line.
Rasmus Hojlund has been at Old Trafford for two years and has yet to make the role his own. The only reason Hojlund plays every week is that United are lacking options in the striker department.
That could soon change with United eyeing moves for Delap and Cunha.
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Former United winger Luke Chadwick, who made 39 appearances for United, believes Ipswich star Delap could become the ‘main man’ at Old Trafford if he completes a move this summer.
“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.”
Chadwick hails Delap ability and characteristics
Having watched Delap closely in recent years, Chadwick has been most impressed by the England Under-21 international for the confidence and ability he has shown in the Premier League.
Delap is an old-school centre-forward who likes to let centre-backs who he’s there.
The Premier League winner (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.”