With the summer transfer window set to open on the 1st of June, it is clear that Chelsea are going to sign a striker. The Blues, who face Real Betis in the Conference League final on Wednesday, are strongly linked with several new names who could lead the line for them.
A recent report from Kieran Gill for The Mail named some of the striker targets the Blues are chasing this summer. They include Eintracht Frankfurt youngster Hugo Ekitike, also wanted by Liverpool, and fellow Bundesliga striker Benjamin Sesko, currently playing for RB Leipzig.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
However, there is another man the West Londoners are interested in, for whom they are thought to be leading the race to sign.
Chelsea’s main striker target
It will be fascinating to see who the Blues pursue this summer, with regards to their centre-forward targets. Of course, they seem to be strong contenders to sign Ekitike and Sesko, but they are arguably not their preferred choice.
Well, according to a report from Chris Wheeler of The Mail, Chelsea are currently the favourites to sign Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap. The Blues have ‘edged ahead’ in the race in recent days, perhaps swung by their Champions League qualification, which was confirmed on Sunday.
This has been corroborated by journalist Graeme Bailey, with the transfer insider outlining that the Blues are now 'confident' that they will beat Manchester United in the battle for his signature, having already held 'fresh talks' with the player.
Ipswich Town's Liam Delap reacts
Any deal for the in-demand striker would cost in the region of £30m, owing to a relegation release clause in his contract at Portman Road.
Why Delap would be a good signing
Few players in their first Premier League campaign have made as much of an impression this season as Delap. In what was a disappointing season for Ipswich as a whole, the England under-21 forward certainly made a big impact.
Liam-Delap
The 22-year-old, who is the son of Stoke City cult hero Rory, played 37 times in his first full Premier League season. In that time, he managed to bag himself 12 goals and also chipped in with two assists.
One of the biggest positives about Delap is his consistency. His longest goal drought in 2024/25 was seven games, which actually came in the final few games of the season.
Aside from that, he was a consistent scorer for the Tractor Boys, even finding the back of the net against Chelsea in a 2-0 win at Portman Road.
If the Blues do manage to sign Delap, then he is in safe hands under Enzo Maresca. The Italian coach certainly knows how to get the best out of a clinical goalscorer, given the form Jamie Vardy showed under him for Leicester City last season in the Championship.
vardy-winks-leicester-city
In 37 games under the now-Chelsea boss, the Foxes legend helped himself to 20 goals and two assists. That included 18 strikes in 35 Championship appearances, to help his side win the league and return to the top flight.
Maresca certainly knows how to handle a deadly centre-forward and get the best out of him, be it as an individual goalscorer or his general striker play.
In a team that scored 89 goals in 2023/24, Vardy had to be selfless too, and Maresca helped him fit in with the team’s dynamic.
Well, that can certainly be said about Delap, too. One person full of praise for the Ipswich star is analyst Ben Mattinson, who described him as "a problem for every Premier League defence". He's also been described as a "monster" by teammate Alex Palmer.
Ipswich Town's Liam Delap applauds fans after the match
The stats on Sofascore from this season show he is more than just a goalscorer, but a well-rounded striker. For example, Delap won an average of two aerial duels per game and played 21 key passes this term.
Delap key stats in 2024/25 PL season
Stat
Shots
Shots on target
Dribbles completed
Aerial duels won
Expected goal involvements
Stats from Sofascore
Vardy and Delap are also noted as similar players among those in their position in both Europe's top five leagues and in the Premier League, as per FBref, reflecting their statistical likeness.
For example, the Ipswich forward averages 0.34 goals per shot on target and 0.24 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. In comparison, Vardy averages 0.35 goals per shot on target and 0.32 goal-creating actions each game.
The fact that they are so similar surely plays into Maresca's hands, too. He surely knows how to get the best out of his number nines, and they are certainly like-for-like players, as the stats back up.
Maresca knows what he is doing when it comes to getting the best out of a striker. Delap will surely fit the bill nicely, as someone who is happy to work hard for his team and can score goals at a good rate, too.
Liam-Delap-Ipswich
If he can be as good as Vardy was under Maresca, then Delap will surely be a success at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's Didier Drogba celebrates with the trophy after winning the Barclays Premier League Related
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Chelsea needs to sign a striker or two this summer