Chelsea and Manchester United want him - but where does Liam Delap truly fit? | OneFootball

As the season enters its final weeks, rumors have started to swirl about clubs focusing on players for their future. One among those players who has been in the news recently is Ipswich Town's striker Liam Delap. The two clubs closely linked with the 22-year-old are Manchester United and Chelsea. He has 12 goals and 2 assists to his name so far this season.

As per reports, Liam Delap has a release clause set at £30 million, which becomes active if Ipswich is relegated from the Premier League. The club currently sits 18th in the Premier League, 12 points from safety with seven matches remaining, making relegation a significant possibility. So, the opportunity to get a striker who has done well enough in his first proper season in the Premier League for such a cheap amount is a prospect any club would be intrigued by.

Delap joined Ipswich from Manchester City for £15 million plus £5 million in add-ons. Manchester City retains a 20% sell-on clause and a buy-back option. However, an approach from his former club seems very unlikely, as they already employ two top strikers, Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush. Also, they have other areas in the team that they would be looking at, including finding a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who will be leaving at the end of the season.

Which club should Liam Delap consider?

It is an intriguing question, as both clubs have grand plans for the future. But the present also has to be considered. Even though Chelsea has not looked like the team they were a few years ago, compared to Manchester United, they seem to be in a better position. At the moment, they have two out-and-out forwards: Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu. Among them, Jackson has been their preferred first choice.

Even though Jackson has not scored a lot of goals, the team has created a lot of chances. They are second only behind the league leaders in xG with 58.1. In Cole Palmer, they have one of the best attacking midfielders, and in Enzo Fernández, one of the best central midfielders in terms of providing service to their leading man. Delap also has the experience of playing with Palmer in the Manchester City academy days. So if he is to make a move, there will be no shortage of service or opportunities to score.

On the other hand, Manchester United is only the 13th best in xG with 41.4. Both of their strikers have struggled a lot with output and getting chances. Most of their signings in recent years have failed to rise up to expectations and, in fact, have seen their stocks go down tremendously. Given the way their two strikers have performed, Delap can guarantee he will be a sure starter in the red half of Manchester if he is to make the move.

There is also the opportunity to play in Europe. At the moment, Chelsea is fourth, a position that will guarantee them a place in the UEFA Champions League next season. However, there are still seven rounds of fixtures to go in the league, and they could drop down from the top five. There is no such doubt in Manchester United's position. They are 13th in the table, and the chances of them finishing in the top spots are next to zero.

However, Manchester United can qualify for the Champions League if they can win the Europa League, a competition in which they are in the quarter-finals. It also gives him an opportunity to win a trophy in the form of the UEFA Super Cup at the beginning of next season.

Even though Chelsea are in Europe, they play in the Conference League. A win there will only guarantee a place in the Europa League for next season. However, at Chelsea, there is an opportunity to win the new FIFA Club World Cup in June, as clubs will be allowed to sign players specifically for the tournament. To facilitate this, FIFA has proposed an exceptional transfer window from June 1 to June 10, 2025. This allows Delap a chance to win a trophy that a player can only compete for every four years if he is to sign for the Blues.

There are a lot of factors for Delap to consider before making his decision. At the moment, Chelsea seems like the perfect club for him in the next stage of his career. Even though Manchester United look like they are having a tough time in and out of the club, there will be a significant change in direction in the summer, and if signed, he can be the poster boy for one of the world's most famous football clubs.