Fresh Ipswich Town, Liam Delap transfer twist emerges as Chelsea make sale decision | OneFootball

Liam Delap's future at Chelsea is the subject of transfer speculation just 12 months on from his exit from Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town will be aiming to survive in the Premier League next season after clinching their immediate return to the division.

The Tractor Boys sealed a second place finish in the Championship on the final day of the campaign, winning 3-0 at home to QPR.

Kieran McKenna’s side earned 84 points, one more than third place Millwall, to earn their place in the top flight after just a 12 month absence.

It is set to be a busy summer ahead, with the Suffolk outfit looking to build a team capable of improving on their 19th place finish in 2025.

Ipswich will be looking to emulate Leeds United and Sunderland’s success from this campaign, with the two newly-promoted sides securing their safety with multiple games spare.

The club have now earned three promotions in four years under McKenna, who has received a lot of plaudits for his role in guiding the squad back to the big time.

Ipswich Town eye Liam Delap return

It has been reported by Teamtalk that Ipswich are among the clubs eyeing a deal for Liam Delap just one year after his exit from Portman Road.

However, the Tractor Boys are believed to be behind the front-runners for his signature, as they are set to face stiff competition this summer to bring him back to the club.

Newcastle United and Everton are understood to be at the front of the queue for the striker, who has endured a difficult year at Stamford Bridge.

Sunderland and Brighton have also been mentioned as possible destinations for the 23-year-old.

Chelsea are reportedly open to his sale, with Xabi Alonso now set to take charge of the first team squad this summer.

The Spaniard has been given assurances about bringing in ready-made talent to lead the line next season, which will see Delap fall further down the pecking order at the London outfit.

It remains to be seen what kind of figure it will take to convince the Blues to cash in, with it being claimed that they paid £30 million to sign the forward last summer.

Delap has struggled for form in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal from 26 appearances.

The 23-year-old contributed 12 goals and two assists for Ipswich in the previous campaign, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the team from suffering relegation.

He joined the Tractor Boys in the 2024 summer window from Manchester City following their promotion to the top flight.

Ipswich should look elsewhere instead of bringing back Delap

Delap’s limitations have been made evident during his spell at Chelsea, as he has struggled up front under both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

He has been unable to play a role in their build-up play, and he struggles to find space in the box to take shots.

The forward is perhaps more suited to the counter-attacking style that Ipswich played last season, but the club should look to alternative targets this summer as they will need better quality in order to survive.

Given the potential cost of a deal, it wouldn’t be worth Ipswich’s time to pursue a deal for Delap, who could cost around the £30 million mark again.