Chelsea switch focus to former Man City striker after souring on deal ...

Chelsea have reportedly switched their striker focus to thriving Ipswich man Liam Delap, as they believe they won’t be able to get Alexander Isak through the door.

The Blues have seen their fair share of strikers try and fail in recent seasons. As such, they are almost always on the hunt to improve upon their firepower up top.

That’s despite Nicolas Jackson having bagged six goals in the Premier League this term.

Of late, there have been links to Victor Osimhen and Isak, among others. According to the i, though, Chelsea are ready to look to younger alternatives to the former, though a deal for him has not been entirely written off.

It’s also said they aren’t likely to sign Isak, as they feel the Newcastle man is satisfied and happy at St James’ Park.

Now, they are said to be focussing their attention on 21-year-old Ipswich forward Delap, who rates ‘exceptionally highly’ on their advanced transfer metrics.

He is a Manchester City academy product, and the Citizens have buy-back and sell-on clauses for him, so though they might not match Chelsea’s bid, they could make money from the Blues signing the forward.

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Journalist Kweku Afari has suggested that Delap is a needless signing for Chelsea given the presence of Jackson, but the Ipswich man can reach a very high level if he moves to the right club.

“Jackson made the No.9 shirt his own. Right now, Nicolas Jackson is our clear striker,” he said on talkSPORT.

“Liam Delap, at a team that provide him with chances, can score a lot of goals. I like the variety of his finishing, he’s scored different types of goals in an Ipswich team that have struggled.

“Is he an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson? I don’t know, I don’t think so at this stage of his career.

“Liam Delap is a player that, if he does make that step to the next level, I think he can score a lot of goals.

“When you’re having England conversations about who’s the striker after Harry Kane, I don’t see it as being Ollie Watkins, he’s too much in the same age range as Harry Kane, I see it as being Liam Delap if he makes the right move.”

It has been suggested that Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher could soon be on the move to realise his potential as a No.1 goalkeeper, and Chelsea have been tipped to go after him.

If Chelsea do not decide to sign Jadon Sancho permanently after his loan spell this season, it’s reported that Tottenham are seriously considering his signing.

Meanwhile, the Blues have responded to Real Madrid interest in Enzo Fernandez by setting them a £100million target to land him.

And having sustained another injury, some Chelsea fans are clamouring for club captain Reece James to retire.

Joined Man City’s academy in 2019 at the age of 16 after 10 years at Derby County, where his dad Rory previously played.

Scored just 18 minutes into his senior debut for City in an EFL Cup win over Bournemouth in September 2021 and made his Premier League bow just three days later.

After a succession of injuries, Delap made his Champions League debut for City at Sporting in February 2022, coming on for Bernardo Silva in a 5-0 win.

Loaned out to Stoke City and then Preston during the 2022/23 season, scoring just four times in 38 appearances combined.

Joined Hull City on loan for the 2023/24 campaign and scored eight times in 32 outings for the Tigers as they finished seventh in the Championship, just outside the play-offs.

Joined newly-promoted Ipswich in a £20million deal from City in July 2024, signing a five-year-old contract at Portman Road.

Scored his first goal for Town in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham on August 31.

Became the first Ipswich player to score a top-flight double in a game since Darren Bent in 2002 when he notched both goals in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on September 29.