Premier League rivals’ rivals fought back on Wednesday to sign English striker Liam Delap from Ipswich for a reported £30 million ($41 million) fee.
Delap, 22, was unable to stop Ipswich from returning to the Championship after scoring 12 Premier League goals in his sole season at Portman Road.
According to reports, Everton and Manchester United both agreed to fulfill the England under-21 international’s buyout clause.
However, Chelsea has already advanced their attacking options ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States, which will begin later this month. The former Manchester City forward has won the transfer market.
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Delap, who has a six-year contract with Chelsea, said: “I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach.”
“I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies,” I said. “It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop.”
After missing two years, the Blues finished fourth in the Premier League. They will now travel to the Champions League next year.
And last week, Enzo Maresca’s men defeated Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League final to win the organization’s inaugural season in charge.
Chelsea finally broke through to reach Premier League champions Liverpool in mid-December, hitting a rocky patch.
They had a strong season, claiming a top-five spot on the final day of the season, but were hindered by their lack of a clinical number nine.
In his final 30 Premier League starts, Nicolas Jackson, a native of Senegal, has scored just 10 goals, and Christopher Nkunku looks set to leave the team after a disappointing two-year spell.
Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, started his career at Manchester City but struggled to make it into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded first team.
After being loaned out with Stoke, Preston, and Hull in the second-tier before being signed by Ipswich for up to $ 20 million, they were promoted to the Premier League a year later.
With just 22 points, Delap was one of the Tractor Boys’ few successes during a difficult season that saw them relegated back to the Championship.
In the group stages of the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14, Chelsea will face Flamengo, LAFC, and ES Tunis.
Source: Channels TV
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