Young forward Delap has been on the radar for several clubs after scoring 12 goals in the 2024-25 season for Ipswich Town, the team that has been relegated after finishing second-from-bottom in the standings.
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Hardly anything is going right for Manchester United these days. After registering their lowest finish in the top-flight in five decades with a 15th-place finish, missing out on European competition by losing the UEFA Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur and even losing a friendly against the ASEAN All Stars in Malaysia on Wednesday, United are set to lose a prospective signing to Chelsea.
This after forward Liam Delap, whose team Ipswich Town was among those relegated in the recently-concluded Premier League season, has “given the green light” to joining Enzo Maresca’s side this summer despite agreeing personal terms with the ‘Red Devils’. Delap had an impressive run with 12 goals in the last season even as Ipswich struggled to make an impact and could collect just four wins in 38 games.
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Delap, who had spent five years at Manchester City before his move to Ipswich Town, thus became a target for several clubs, with Chelsea and United among those looking to secure the promising young forward for the next season. The fact that he has a relatively cheap release clause worth £30 million following Ipswich’s relegeation is also what has boosted other clubs’ interest in him.
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Delap had reportedly agreed to personal terms with United recently, with the Ruben Amorim-managed club then reaching out to Ipswich regarding the release clause.
Champions League the reason behind sudden inclination towards Chelsea?
However, according to talkSPORT, Delap is now closing in on a move to Stamford Bridge instead of Old Trafford. And that might have something to do with the fact that while Chelsea have qualified for the UEFA Champions League after finishing fourth in the last Premier League season, United will be missing out on European football in the next season, for the first time in a decade.
Delap might have reconsidered had United defeated Tottenham in the Europa League final to qualify for the Champions League despite finishing 10 places below the qualification zone on the Premier League table.
Chelsea, meanwhile, would have guaranteed European action even if they failed to qualify for the top-seven, having defeated Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday to qualify for the Europa League next season. Maresca’s side, however, have ensured they get to play in the most elite continental club competition of them all with their Premier League run.
Besides Chelsea and United, Newcastle United and Everton were also on the hunt for Delap with Newcastle also qualifying for the Champions League after finishing fifth, the final qualifying spot.
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