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Everton were keen on signing Liam Delap last summer before he joined Chelsea.
Former Everton transfer target Liam Delap has made a decision over his future, reports suggest.
The Toffees were keen on signing Delap last summer. The striker had a £30 million release clause in his Ipswich Town contract following the club’s Premier League relegation. While Everton held talks with Delap, he opted to join Chelsea.
However, the former England under-21 international has endured a frustrating maiden season at Stamford Bridge. Delap has scored just two goals in 37 appearances and started only 11 Premier League matches. Joao Pedro has been Chelsea’s first-choice centre-forward, with Delap coming on for the dying embers of the 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United at Wembley.
Everton may be in the market for a new striker in the summer transfer window. While Beto has hit a purple patch of late, scoring five goals in the past six games, he will soon enter the final 12 months of his Toffees contract. In addition, Thierno Barry, signed from Villarreal for up to £27 million last summer, has has his struggles and netted six times in 34 games.
Delap has been suggested as a potential target to re-emerge for David Moyes’ side. However, according to The Telegraph, the ex-Manchester City man wants to fight for his place at Chelsea. It is said that Delap, under contract until 2031, is ‘focused on trying to finish the season as positively as possible and returning to Chelsea in the summer to prepare for next season’.
That is despite Chelsea having agreed to sign Emmanuel Emegha from sister club Strasbourg. Emegha has bagged eight goals in 16 appearances this term. In addition, Nicolas Jackson will return from his loan spell at Bayern Munich while Marc Guiu is on the Stamford Bridge books.
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