Chelsea have completed the signing of Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap after triggering his £30million release clause.
The 22-year-old becomes Enzo Maresca’s second signing of the summer after Dario Essugo as the Blues prepare for life back in the Champions League next season.
The two clubs came to an agreement over Delap last week, and after undergoing a medical he has put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Stamford Bridge.
The striker had accrued interest from Manchester United, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Everton, after an impressive first full season in the Premier League.
Ipswich paid £20m when they signed Delap from Manchester City last summer, and the eight-time Premier League champions will bank 30 per cent of the fee as per their sell-on clause.
Despite it being a difficult season for the Tractor Boys, in which they were relegated back down to the Championship, Delap scored 12 Premier League goals in his 37 appearances.
Chelsea have completed the signing of Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap in a £30milllion deal
The striker is Enzo Maresca’s first signing of the summer with the Italian keen to bolster his attack
Delap impressed for Ipswich in what was a poor season for the club, scoring 12 league goals
Chelsea are one of the many Premier League teams who are in need of a striker and have got business done early, with FIFA having introduced a June 1-10 transfer window before the Club World Cup.
Main man Nicolas Jackson netted two fewer Premier League goals than Delap, and when absent through injury Maresca had limited options up front.
The Italian boss is believed to have spoken with Delap as Chelsea pitched their project after he was given permission by his club to speak with suitors.
The clubs then managed to agree to what is a cut-price valuation, which came into effect after Ipswich’s drop into the second tier of English football.
Talks are ongoing over the possibility of Chelsea forward Marc Guiu, who has made 14 appearances for the Blues, moving to Portman Road on loan in a separate deal.
The revamped Club World Cup does clash with the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia this summer, but Chelsea have the power to take Delap to the United States instead.
Maresca has also set his sights on bringing in a winger to accompany their new frontman, reportedly starting talks over a potential £50m move for Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens.
Chelsea first reported their interest in Gittens, 20, when they enquired about his services in January, and according to the Telegraph, they are now ready to act.
After selling their former player to Ipswich last summer Man City will bank 30 per cent of the fee
The 22-year-old netted against Chelsea in a 2-0 win at Portman Road back in December
Chelsea are believed to have begun talks with Borussia Dortmund over Jamie Gittens (right)
The England Under-21s starlet is believed to have a release clause around the £50m mark, with many of European football’s elite clubs circling.
Now that Chelsea will not be turning Jadon Sancho’s loan into a permanent move – with the Blues paying a £5million penalty fee to send him back to Manchester United – the Gittens deal is now taking their full attention.
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The west London side are believed to be pushing for a deal to be completed quickly due to both their and Dortmund’s participation in the Club World Cup.
The winger is the next star off of the Bundesliga production line, following in the footsteps of both Sancho and Jude Bellingham by shining in Dortmund.
After breaking through in the 2023-24 campaign, Gittens truly began to shine in the last 12 months, scoring 12 goals and bagging five assists in all competitions last season.
He also made history in the Champions League, becoming the youngest English player to score in the tournament when he found the net against 15-time winners Real Madrid, aged just 20 and 75 days.
