Liam Delap will sign for Chelsea having agreed a six-year deal with the Stamford Bridge side, according to David Ornstein.
The Ipswich Town striker will move to Enzo Maresca’s side, who will trigger his €35 million (£30m) release clause and beat Manchester United to the 22-year-old striker.
Ornstein reports that Delap has secured a six-year contract with the Blues, keeping him at the club until 2031. A medical is expected on Monday, with the transfer set to be made official soon afterward.
The former Manchester City youngster had a string of major clubs chasing his signature, with Man Utd, Newcastle United and Everton all thought to have been in the running to sign the Winchester-born striker, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €26.2m.
Delap had attracted interest after scoring 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich in 37 appearances last season. This was his sole campaign at the club, having made a shock move worth close to €18m from Pep Guardiola’s side.
Chelsea hope he can replicate and build on his Portman Road performance as he hooks up with Maresca’s side in a deal that will see him arrive in time to play in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Liam Delap vs Premier League strikers: Overall performance (2024/25)
When will Delap make his Chelsea debut?
Delap could make his competitive Blues debut against Leon on Monday, 16 June, with fixtures against Flamengo and ES Tunis to follow in the group stage before a potential trip to the knockout rounds.
He will find himself in direct competition with Nicolas Jackson for the No.9 jersey at Stamford Bridge, with the form of the striker having served to frustrate over the past two years. While the Senegal star has impressed at times, he has also proven to be an inconsistent presence in attack and it is hoped that that Delap can provide a more reliable option.
Football transfer news headlines today
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
