"The best move" - Ipswich Town star backed to seal Man Utd transfer | OneFootball

FLW's Tractor Boys fan pundit has backed Delap to join United over Chelsea or Newcastle this summer

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has been urged to join Manchester United ahead of next season, despite their troubles this season, after recent reports emerged about his preference to sign for the Red Devils over the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle in the upcoming transfer window.

22-year-old Delap has burst onto the scene in the top-flight with Ipswich this season, with 12 league goals in his maiden Premier League campaign despite Kieran McKenna's side having their relegation confirmed with four games still to play last month.

He is a wanted man this summer as a result of his strong form, and it looks as if United have moved ahead of their transfer rivals in the race to sign him soon.

Ipswich fan pundit issues Liam Delap 'best move' verdict amid Manchester United preference

Delap joined the newly-promoted Tractor Boys for an initial £15 million from Manchester City last summer, after he impressed on loan at Championship outfit Hull City in the 2023/24 campaign.

He hit the ground running at Portman Road, with six strikes in his first 11 league outings, and he has continued to shine as Kieran McKenna's main man up-front throughout the rest of the term.

The England youth international has been unable to save Ipswich from relegation, however, and interested clubs have been put on high alert ahead of the summer window, after it was revealed that his current contract has a £30m release clause that numerous top sides are understandably keen on exercising.

Chelsea and Newcastle have each been credited with major interest in his services, but Sky Sports News have revealed that Delap would be happy to move to Old Trafford this summer, with the Red Devils claimed to be in pole position to sign him in the coming months.

While Delap's £30m Ipswich exit is inevitable in the near future, FLW's Tractor Boys fan pundit, Adam Wilkin, has backed him to join United this summer over any other club, as, despite the Red Devils' recent struggles both on and off the pitch, he believes that the 22-year-old should join them for a better guarantee of game-time and potential to be playing Champions League football.

“My initial thoughts when hearing that Man United were Liam Delap’s preferred option were that he could do better, in terms of stability and just how the club is run," Adam told FLW.

“Everything in the media seems to be negative. They seem like a club in turmoil, and obviously their league position is not great this year.

“When you think about it a bit deeper though, there are two factors that they have going for them. Number one is that they could end up in the Champions League, depending on what happens in the Europa League final, and I don’t think that there is any player that wouldn’t want to play in the Champions League.

“The other factor is that I think Delap will be looking at (their squad) and knowing he has a chance of being their main striker next season.

“I think he is a better all-round player than both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, and he is the type of player that would rather go to a club and play week-in, week-out.

“I think that would be better for his development. I think that would be the best move for him, so both of those factors could give United the edge.”

Delap has a huge decision to make - he would surely be United's first-choice centre-forward

Few players have such a huge decision to make regarding their future at such a young age in football, but Delap will have to choose his next destination carefully this summer, as it could well dictate his career for years to come in either a positive or negative way.

He has long been highly-rated from his time at Manchester City, and while Chelsea and Newcastle are each attractive options, he may well fancy a move to United this summer for a myriad of reasons, both on and off the pitch.

The main one of those will be playing time, and despite playing for a relegated side that has only been able to amass 22 points in the Premier League this season, he has outscored both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee's combined league goals total for United so far.

Neither Hojlund nor Zirkzee have been able to make the centre-forward position their own at Old Trafford since they have joined, and neither looks likely to be favoured by Ruben Amorim going forward into the next campaign. It even feels possible that one of them departs the club this summer.

It certainly seems likely that Delap would be joining the 13-time Premier League champions to be their main option in attack, which is potentially more than can be said for either Chelsea or Newcastle as it stands, with both Nicolas Jackson and Alexander Isak still first-choice strikers at each of those clubs.

Another factor in his decision is set to hinge on the Red Devils' fortunes in the Europa League final at the end of this month, with a place in the Champions League at stake, which is what Delap will be aiming for this summer.

United also boast what is surely an ideal location for the 22-year-old, given that he will have previously settled in the area in his five years at neighbours City from 2019 to 2024.

It remains to be seen where Delap ends up this summer, but his decision will surely be made soon with just two games of the Premier League campaign left to play.