Report: Everton to launch £30m bid for Chelsea star | OneFootball

Moyes Eyes Proven Goals in Everton Rebuild

In football, reputation is built on moments. Liam Delap has had them before, and Everton, under David Moyes, believe he can have them again. Reports from TEAMtalk suggest Everton are “primed to launch” a summer move for the Chelsea forward, and it is easy to see why. Clubs like Everton do not chase ghosts; they chase goals.

Delap, still only 23, has lived two very different lives in successive seasons. At Ipswich, he was forceful and fearless, scoring 12 Premier League goals in a struggling side. At Chelsea, he has been peripheral. TEAMtalk note he has managed “just two goals in 24 appearances this term” and started only one league match under new manager Liam Rosenior, who took charge at Stamford Bridge on 17 February 2026.

Everton’s interest is not blind optimism. Moyes has long preferred a centre-forward who can battle defenders, occupy centre-halves and give midfield runners a platform. Delap, for all his rough edges, fits that mould.

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Chelsea Future Uncertain Under Rosenior

Chelsea’s dilemma is familiar. Big squads, impatient expectations, and young players caught in the churn. Chelsea are “ready to sanction a sale” if the right offer arrives, despite signing Delap for around £30 million last summer.

That kind of decision speaks to a wider issue at Stamford Bridge. Managers come in with ideas, and Liam Rosenior is no exception. His appointment in February 2026 signalled a new direction, yet Delap has struggled to break into a forward line that demands immediate returns.

Graeme Bailey noted earlier this month that Delap is “fighting for his future”, a phrase that carries weight in modern football. At clubs like Chelsea, fighting often means surviving rotation, scrutiny and the quiet judgement of recruitment departments.

Everton are watching carefully. They nearly signed Delap last summer, reportedly matching his £30 million clause before he chose Chelsea. Sometimes, football is about timing. Everton believe the clock may now be on their side.

Beto Exit Could Open Door for Deal

Transfers rarely happen in isolation. Everton’s pursuit of Liam Delap may depend on departures. 

Moyes is pragmatic. He knows Everton’s financial limits, even with backing from The Friedkin Group. Spending must be purposeful. A striker must score, press and endure Premier League battles. Delap, who once bullied defenders at Ipswich, might be that player.

For Everton supporters, this is not about glamour. It is about trajectory. After flirting with relegation in recent seasons, Everton now sit in the top half and whisper about European qualification. A reliable striker could turn whispers into ambition.

Delap Needs Right Stage to Rediscover Form

Footballers are not machines. Confidence matters. Systems matter. Trust matters. Delap showed what he could do in a struggling Ipswich side, yet Chelsea’s environment can suffocate young forwards.

Bailey wrote that he “has already proven he can be a force in the top flight when deployed in a system that suits him”. Everton believe Goodison Park could offer that stage.

Moyes has rebuilt careers before. Think of Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta, even Dominic Calvert-Lewin at his peak. Everton fans understand graft, and they warm to strikers who wear bruises as medals.

For Chelsea, selling Delap would be a harsh admission. For Everton, signing him would be a calculated gamble. And for Delap, it may be a chance to remind English football why he was so coveted a year ago.

Football is rarely kind, but it is always cyclical. Today’s surplus striker becomes tomorrow’s hero. Everton know that. Chelsea might soon accept it.