Man United have identified Ipswich Town's Liam Delap as one of their primary targets after finishing the Premier League season with a -10 goal difference.
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18:15, 28 May 2025
Delap is a top target for United
Delap is a top target for United
Manchester United target Liam Delap wants his future concluded before the European Under-21 Championship begins next month.
Ipswich Town striker Delap is expected to be named in Lee Carsley's final squad for the Euros and England play their first game on June 13.
United, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton have all held talks with Delap, who has a £30million release clause following Ipswich's relegation.
Sources familiar with discussions expect Delap to choose between United and Chelsea. Newcastle United hope to keep Alexander Isak while David Moyes publicly confirmed Everton's interest earlier this month.
Carsley has to whittle his training squad down to 23 players by June 6 but Delap seems a certainty to be included.
Delap, 22, has been identified as one of United’s primary targets to sharpen an attack that ended the Premier League season with a derisory 44 goals and a -10 goal difference.
United head coach Ruben Amorim again lamented the “lack of goals” in the squad during the club’s post-season tour in Kuala Lumpur.Manchester City academy graduate Delap scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich last season, having signed for the club last year. Delap came through at City when United technical director Jason Wilcox was the club's academy director.
The MEN reported earlier this month that United sources are wary that Delap is generating interest from several other Premier League clubs, though external sources have suggested the downplaying of expectations is face-saving.
United want to replace Rasmus Hojlund after the £72m striker mustered ten goals in 2024-25. Hojlund struggled in his 45-minute outing during the post-season defeat to the ASEAN All Stars.
Sometimes you cannot overthink the situations," Amorim said afterwards when asked about Hojlund. "Sometimes you go to holiday and then you arrive in the first day and you start a new season, even the environment in training ground can help all these players have more confidence.
"If you look at the data we improved in the last games. We have a lack of goals we will try to assess that and be prepared."
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