Gary Neville believes Chelsea need to sign one more striker on top of Liam Delap this summer with a move for the Ipswich Town star set to be announced very shortly.
football.london understands the 22-year-old completed a medical at Cobham over Sunday and Monday and the deal can now be considered as good as done. We are just awaiting an announcement from the Blues and Ipswich, but by all intents and purposes, Delap is now a Chelsea player.
However, the speculation regarding a move for Hugo Ekitike refuses to go away – even with a deal for Delap done. Ekitike is certainly of interest to Chelsea, although football.london was told last week that a move for the French striker is unlikely at this point.
Frankfurt are said to want as much as £80million for the France Under-21 international – a price, at the moment, Chelsea deem as too extortionate. Matters are complicated even further by Liverpool’s interest in signing Ekitike.
Elsewhere, Chelsea remain interested in Victor Osimhen, though there are concerns over the Nigerian’s wage demands, football.london understands.
Neville, who has been largely critical of Chelsea’s transfer business in recent seasons, has praised the Blues for the imminent signing of Delap. Although the Sky Sports pundit did urge the west Londoners to go out and provide even more depth in the No.9 position, even with Nicolas Jackson still at the club.
“I like Liam Delap,” Neville said on It’s Called Soccer! “I think Chelsea need two strikers. I think they need two more on top of Jackson, or even if Jackson were to leave, then two strikers. I don’t think Delap and Jackson are going to get Chelsea where they want to be, which is the top of the league or winning the Champions League. For me, you don’t have three strikers who are all world-class superstars. You have a Jackson. You have a Delap who is younger and who has got the potential to grow. £30million represents good value in today’s market.
“I think that’s a good buy for Chelsea. United wanted him also as well. He’s obviously chosen to go to Chelsea, who are far further ahead than United at this moment in time. I think the idea of having a striker like Jackson, who I think is a handful and who is a threat. I’d then go and get in someone else, then you’ve got a strong pool of strikers.”
Marc Guiu is another option for Enzo Maresca, but the Spaniard could be on his way to Ipswich in a separate deal to Delap. The Tractor Boys, now back in the Championship under Kieran McKenna, are interested in signing the 19-year-old on a season-long loan deal, football.london understands, after La Masia product made just three appearances in the Premier League for the Blues over the course of the 2024/25 campaign.
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