Liam Delap to Man United or Chelsea relies on Europa League final – sources
Liam Delap’s future will become clear after the Europa League final, sources have told ESPN, with Chelsea’s hopes of signing the Ipswich forward set to be dictated by the outcome of Manchester United’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday.
Delap, 22, is expected to leave Ipswich after just one season at Portman Road due to the team’s relegation from the Premier League enabling him to leave if a rival club triggers his £30 million ($40m) release clause.
ESPN reported last month that United had identified Delap as their priority target for a new centre-forward this summer, ahead of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres and Victor Osimhen, who has spent the season on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, and the Old Trafford side remain determined to sign the former Manchester City youngster.
United are aware of Chelsea’s long-term interest in Delap, who has scored 12 goals in 36 Premier League games for Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich, and sources have told ESPN that while United are the front-runners to sign the player, Chelsea’s ability to offer European football next season will strengthen the London club’s position if United fail to beat Spurs in the Europa League final.
Having endured their worst league campaign since relegation from the top-flight in 1973-74, United can only qualify for Europe next season if they lift the Europa League trophy and claim the Champions League placed reserved for the winners. But Conference League finalists Chelsea, who can clinch a Champions League spot by beating Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday, are already assured of a place in Europe next season by virtue of securing a top-seven Premier League finish ahead of the final weekend of the campaign.
If United beat Spurs in Bilbao and qualify for the Champions League, sources have said that Delap is likely to head to Old Trafford.
But while sources have also said that United can afford to sign Delap and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha regardless of whether they qualify for the Champions League, the lack of European football in the event of a defeat against Spurs would put Chelsea in pole position for the player.
City, who offloaded Delap to Ipswich for an initial £15m last year, have a £40m buy-back option inserted in the deal, but sources have said that the Etihad club are not planning to activate that option, leaving the path clear for United and Chelsea to battle it out for his signature.