Premier League legend surprised Arsenal didn’t move for £30m-rated centre-forward

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·9 June 2025

Premier League legend surprised Arsenal didn’t move for £30m-rated centre-forward

Premier League legend Gary Lineker has expressed surprise at Arsenal’s decision to overlook Liam Delap, who has now signed for Chelsea in a deal worth around £30 million.

The Gunners are widely expected to sign an out-and-out striker this summer, with several high-profile targets under consideration. At one stage, Liam Delap, fresh from an impressive campaign with Ipswich Town, was reportedly on the radar, but Arsenal didn’t act. Chelsea did.

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The 22-year-old will now be joining his sixth English club despite still being in the early stages of his career.

Lineker thought Delap was Arsenal material

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker admitted he thought Arsenal might swoop in before Chelsea sealed the deal.

“Delap to Chelsea, interesting one. I thought maybe Arsenal would go for him. Perhaps they did, I don’t know, but Chelsea have got their man,” said Lineker. “We’d said, didn’t we, many times that Chelsea needed backup for [Nicolas] Jackson up top or an alternative. I think he’s a young, exciting centre-forward. I saw someone, I can’t remember who it was, said they saw a bit of a young Alan Shearer in him.”

That’s high praise from one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.

Delap scored 12 goals and registered 2 assists last season for Ipswich, helping keep the newly promoted side competitive in the top flight before they eventually dropped. His profile is exactly what many Arsenal fans have been asking for, a traditional No. 9 who can hold up play, run in behind, and finish in a variety of ways.

(Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

Arsenal focused elsewhere, will it backfire?

Despite the clear potential, Arsenal never truly pushed for Delap. The club’s attention remains on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško, who is still considered the top priority for Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta.

Whether Arsenal will regret passing on an emerging England international, especially if he flourishes at Stamford Bridge, remains to be seen.

Let us know in the comments: Did Arsenal miss a trick by not moving for Liam Delap?

Benjamin Kenneth

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