West Ham have been handed a late and unexpected boost after a twist to Chelsea’s capture of Liam Delap and it’s the best news yet for Graham Potter.
Chelsea looked set to save West Ham from embarrassment over Liam Delap.
The Hammers and the Blues are on the hunt for a new striker and Delap has been one of the names in both their sights for some time.
West Ham actually beat Chelsea to a deal to sign Evan Ferguson on loan from Brighton in the January window thanks to his relationship with Graham Potter.
It quickly became apparent that move was a disaster, though, with Ferguson barely featuring and failing to register a shot on target in four months.
A host of forwards have been linked with moves to the London Stadium and Stamford Bridge, with Ipswich’s £30m bargain Delap among them.
Not just Delap move Chelsea scuppered for West Ham
The sons of West Ham majority owner David Sullivan – who are Hammers board members – have been urging him to sign Delap all season.
Dave and Jack Sullivan haven’t stopped raving about Delap to their dad – as he admitted himself.
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Ex Chelsea boss Potter clearly agrees with their judgement.
When pressed about interest in Delap back in January, the Hammers board admitted he is a player of interest.
Potter also sang Delap’s praises in his pre-match press conference ahead of West Ham’s season finale at Ipswich.
There had been a growing resignation that Delap would choose between Man United and Chelsea for his next step, though.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
That’s why West Ham fans were furious when former manager David Moyes held face-to-face talks with the England Under 21 star about a move to Everton.
Moyes looked set to embarrass West Ham over Delap as it emerged he liked what the Scot had to say with Everton paying big wages and promising to let him move on to a bigger club when one came knocking.
In the last 48 hours, though, Chelsea have emerged as Delap’s preferred destination.
While frustrating, that saved the Hammers from the ignominy and irony of Moyes – who was always reluctant to go out and sign a new striker during his time at West Ham – beating them to his capture.
The problem is it is not the only striker deal Chelsea are scuppering for the Irons.
But now there has been a late Delap Chelsea twist and it gives West Ham a major boost that changes everything.
Late Delap Chelsea twist gives West Ham a major boost
It’s been a terrible week for Potter in terms of striker targets and the window isn’t even officially open yet.
Besides Delap, the Hammers have other top striker targets this summer.
One was Emanuel Emegha.
But Chelsea ‘all but signed’ Hammers target Emegha this week from what is essentially their feeder club Strasbourg.
While Potter is desperate for a new forward to lead the line for West Ham next season, Chelsea don’t even intend to use Emegha yet – leaving him on loan at the BlueCo-owned Ligue 1 side for now after agreeing a deal until 2031.
It has since become clear why with widespread reports Delap will agree his move to Stamford Bridge imminently.
Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
Potter’s other prime forward target is Nice’s Evann Guessand.
But it looked like Chelsea had ruined West Ham’s plans to sign him too.
Head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay identified Guessand as a top West Ham target, the moment he arrived at West Ham from Stamford Bridge in January.
Potter and Macaulay have been monitoring Guessand’s performances and have been so impressed that the Hammers held talks about signing the 23-year-old Ivory Coast star.
Nice boss Franck Haise admitted Guessand will be sold amid links to West Ham.
It was claimed Potter and Macaulay believe the 6ft 2in rangy star has the technical and physical qualities to adapt to the Premier League.
But West Ham received a crushing blow this week when Brighton leapfrogged them in the race for Guessand thanks to Chelsea.
The Blues had been speaking to Brighton to agree a deal to sign their brilliant Brazilian forward Joao Pedro.
Delap move changes everything for Chelsea and West Ham
With an agreement close, Brighton launched their own bid for Guessand and – unlike West Ham – have the money to do it now, putting them in the box seat.
That has all changed overnight, though.
Belgian Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed that Delap choosing Chelsea has done West Ham a huge favour.
Because it has put their move for Brighton’s Pedro on hold, probably indefinitely. And the domino effect is that Guessand’s move to the Amex is off too.
“Chelsea chose Liam Delap, effectively putting the Joao Pedro case on hold,” Tavolieri states.
“The Blues progressed on several deals at the same time in order not to be caught off guard or misled before convincing the Ipswich Town striker.
“Chelsea boss wants to close quickly the deal of their new number nine.
“Evann Guessand’s move to Brighton depends on Pedro’s situation, which is currently at a standstill. Wait and see.”
It means Guessand is available again for West Ham.
But the Hammers have no time to waste.
Earlier this week West Ham’s board said they are desperate to ‘start trading’ and are pushing hard to move players as they must sell to buy.
This big twist should only increase the determination to do that.