Manchester United’s transfer window has been dealt its first blow as their first-choice striker target Liam Delap looks set to sign away from them.
It was reported recently that Delap has informed them of his intention to sign with Chelsea after multiple clubs moved for him, undoubtedly because of his release clause.
In England, he had offers from Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, and Manchester United. He ultimately chose the club that finished the highest in the table among those suitors.
While it is a blow for United, the bigger picture is probably that the club dodged a bullet. Ruben Amorim has already suggested what he thinks of someone making a move like Delap has done.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim is trying to engineer a cultural shift at Old Trafford after years of the club spending vast amounts of money on ill-advised targets.
More than the quality, the personality of the players was in question, and that’s what Amorim values the most.
Delap might well be a model professional but at the end of the day, he chose to reject United to sign somewhere else.
United of previous years might have thrown increased money at him in an effort to get him to sign, but Amorim has already suggested previously that he won’t have any mercenaries at the club.
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He was asked a month or so ago about Viktor Gyokeres targeting a Champions League club to sign, a stance that seems to have swayed Delap too, and his response was brutally honest.
He said then that if a player wants to come to Man Utd, he shouldn’t come, because he wants players who want to play for the club, regardless of the competition they’re in.
Delap rejecting United confirms that he won’t have passed Amorim’s ‘desire’ check. It’s better to receive clarity early in the window.
Man Utd need to plan forward
Just because Delap is off the table and wouldn’t have been a good signing doesn’t mean that United can rest easy now.
If anything, it was an open secret that they did want him, so their transfer plans will undoubtedly have to change.
Whether that means changing plans for Matheus Cunha or pivoting to a new striker target is up in the air but inaction is not a solution.
Gyokeres to Man Utd has seemed unlikely for a while now, while Victor Osimhen was never realistic due to the financial package involved.
It is up to Ineos now to pull a rabbit out of the hat and sign a difference-maker for United because, on the evidence of the 2024/25 season, all signings will be for nought if Rasmus Hojlund is not upgraded upon.