Chelsea have signed forward, Liam Delap in a £30m transfer from Ipswich Town.
Delap’s move to Stamford Bridge comes after a single season at Ipswich in which he contributed 12 goals and two assists in 40 appearances, although Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys were ultimately relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season.
Their relegation led Chelsea to act swiftly to trigger Delap’s £30m release clause just one year after he had moved to Ipswich from Manchester City, with the 22-year-old having now signed a …-year contract at Stamford Bridge until June 203….
Man City held a buy-back clause but they chose not to activate that option but will instead receive 30% of the fee due a sell-on clause, which they had inserted in Delap’s sale to Ipswich that summer.
In his first interview as a Chelsea player, Delap iterated that he understands the club’s ambitions and can’t wait to develop his game under Enzo Maresca.
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach. It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”
Delap began his career at Man City where he scored one goal in six senior appearances, amidst loan spells at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City, which he believes has benefitted him.
“I had a few loans and I learned a lot from then,” said Delap. ‘You are a mixture of all these different experiences, so I’ve taken little bits from everywhere I’ve been and then built it together as one. I’m always learning and developing.”
