Liam Delap back to Ipswich Town? Tractor Boys told to pursue reunion with £30m Chelsea man | OneFootball

FLW's Ipswich fan pundit has given his verdict on a potential deal to re-sign Liam Delap this summer

Ipswich Town are preparing for life in the Premier League following their second place finish in the Championship.

The Tractor Boys earned automatic promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking, fending off Millwall by just one point.

Kieran McKenna’s side required a win on the final day of the campaign, which they duly delivered in front of a celebratory home crowd, beating QPR 3-0.

The Suffolk outfit will now be looking at how to strengthen the first team squad as they eye survival in the Premier League.

McKenna oversaw a 19th place finish in the top tier 12 months ago, with Town suffering relegation, coming 16 points behind 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

The Suffolk outfit will be hoping to be more competitive over the next 12 months, with their ambitions set on cementing their place in the top flight long-term.

Ipswich Town urged to pursue Liam Delap return after £30m sale

Ipswich of course will need to strengthen their squad ahead of their top flight return, and could that mean a return to Portman Road for Liam Delap after his £30 million sale to Chelsea last summer?

When asked whether a return for Delap could be on the cards this summer after his indifferent first year at Stamford Bridge, FLW’s Ipswich fan pundit Adam Wilkin claimed that it’s a plausible scenario now given his struggles since joining Chelsea last summer.

He believes the Tractor Boys will face competition for his signature, but that going back to Portman Road could be what gets his career back on track.

“I do see a scenario where Ipswich try to sign Liam Delap,” Wilkin told Football League World.

“Whether that would be permanently or on loan, I’m not sure.

“I think he’s another one who’s got a good affinity to the club, would be back working under a manager that got the best out of him and given the way that his Chelsea career has gone, it could potentially be a way of reigniting his England prospects.

“Because it wasn’t that long ago that he was being suggested and in and around the England squad, that seems to have fallen back a bit.

“I think given his injury situation this year hasn’t helped, and it was potentially a bad move on his part when there were other clubs interested.

“I think Ipswich would have competition in that regard, he’s still a very good striker, a very good young player.

“But yeah, if there was a move that suited both parties, I’d very much welcome a return of Liam Delap to Portman Road.”

Delap made the switch to Chelsea from Ipswich last summer following the club’s relegation to the Championship, with his £30 million release clause being triggered in June 2025.

The striker has scored just once from 26 league appearances for the Blues, with their campaign falling apart in recent weeks.

The London outfit have lost their last six games in a row, and can now only qualify for the Champions League with a sixth place finish, and Aston Villa winning the Europa League.

The 23-year-old was a key part of McKenna’s side last season, contributing 12 goals and two assists from 37 league appearances, which led to his switch to west London.

It has also been reported that the forward could declare his national allegiance with Ireland, with the FAI holding out hope that he will switch after representing England through the ranks of underage level.

Delap was also linked with a move to Manchester United last summer, but he opted to sign for Chelsea.

The Red Devils moved on to Benjamin Sesko as an alternative, and the Slovenian has contributed 11 goals and one assist from 30 Premier League appearances.

Liam Delap’s move to Chelsea has not been a success - could Ipswich Town unlock more of his potential?

Delap had a strong campaign for Ipswich in 2024-25, but it was always going to be a tough ask to make the jump up to a club of Chelsea’s ambitions.

If he wants to get his career back on track, then a move away from Stamford Bridge is a must at this stage, as it is now arguable that he wouldn’t even make the Republic of Ireland team if he switched, let alone the England team, given Troy Parrott's form for AZ Alkmaar.

Man United will be glad with the move to sign Sesko instead of Delap on the basis of this season, so perhaps going back to working under McKenna is what he needs to turn things around.

However, Ipswich should not be splashing the cash if Chelsea hold out for a similar fee to the £30 million they bought him for, as there would be stronger alternative options on the market at that rate - a loan deal could work for all parties perhaps if the Blues don't want to cash in on the striker's services just yet.