Chelsea are set to win the battle for Liam Delap’s signature this summer in a move that has already caused plenty of debate on Tyneside.
Delap will move to Stamford Bridge for £30m after the Blues triggered his release clause - one that became active after Newcastle United’s win over Ipswich Town in April sealed the Tractor Boys’ relegation to the Championship. Delap had a number of suitors with Newcastle United, Manchester United and Everton among those linked with a move - but has picked Stamford Bridge as his next destination.
Delap scored 12 goals in his first campaign as a Premier League striker with Ipswich Town and will now battle Nicolas Jackson for a starting spot at Chelsea. Newcastle United, meanwhile, will now retune their search for a new striker after missing out on Delap’s signature.
Missing out on the former Manchester City man will not come as too much of a surprise to Newcastle United fans, with any striker that does move to St James’ Park this summer set to act as deputy to Alexander Isak. So what do Magpies fans make of Delap’s decision to join Chelsea rather than moving to the north east?
Newcastle United fans react to Liam Delap transfer
Asked for their views on Delap’s decision to move to Chelsea, Newcastle United fans generally shared the view that the 22-year-old would have struggled for regular game time at St James’ Park behind Isak. Steven Clarke, responded: ‘Because he knows Isak is first choice. He went to Chelsea because they don't have a decent striker and he will play every game.’
James Naden, meanwhile, added: ‘Not really bothered about missing out on Delap. We need a striker who is prepared to work under Isak but ready to go when needed. Not an easy task but Delap isn't this profile.’
Whilst, on paper, it seems that Delap’s decision to join Chelsea will allow him to play regular first-team football, the Blues have also shown interest in signing Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres this summer - according to reports in Record. Gyokeres has enjoyed a tremendous time in front of goal in Portugal and will be first-choice wherever he moves this summer - something that could impact Delap if they both end up at Stamford Bridge together.
On that, Ian Douglas Watson wrote: ‘Given the talk about Chelsea now approaching Gyokeres then, if that’s true, then he might have made the call based on bad info. He’d be second pick behind Isak mind, but when Wilson was fit we usually had a 60/30 split of minutes with each getting a start… Will Maresca do the same and was he aware he was only 1 striker they would bring in.
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‘Also, Chelsea would have to offload Nkunku and Jackson, so he might be competing with more than just Gyokeres if that deal happens. I’d say likely a bad deal if he was expecting a lot of playing time.’
Not all Newcastle United fans believe that Delap would have been a good signing for Eddie Howe’s side, however, with Paul Bell writing: ‘We dodged a bullet there.’
Stuart Yorston added: ‘It’s better we have players that want to be part of the project and not just the money’.
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