Chelsea transfer news: 'Specific request' made to Liam Delap ahead of £30m move from Ipswich

Chelsea have reportedly made a specific request ahead of concluding a £30m deal for Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap.

Earlier this week, it was claimed that Delap had shunned the likes of Manchester United and shown preference towards completing a transfer to Stamford Bridge over the coming days.

The 22-year-old's previous relationship with head coach Enzo Maresca was among the pivotal factors when juggling the next phase of his career after one year at Portman Road.

As per reports, a medical will take place on Monday with the expectation being that Delap will officially become a Chelsea player within the coming days.

Theoretically, Delap is then in line to link up with England Under-21s ahead of the European Championship, but it appears that is no longer a certainty.

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Delap to withdraw from England duty?

According to The Telegraph, Chelsea have asked Delap to withdraw from Lee Carsley's squad in order to participate in the Club World Cup.

While the two tournaments are running concurrently, FIFA have invested heavily into the staging of the new 32-team competition and given clubs priority when it comes to selection for that event.

The report suggests that Delap is eager to play for England Under-21s having racked up three goals in 12 games for the team since 2023.

Nevertheless, a precedent has seemingly been set with neither of Manchester City duo Rico Lewis or James McAtee initially being selected for the same reason. The latter has since been named, amid speculation over his future at the Etihad Stadium.

Barring Delap taking a firm stance over wanting to represent his country, the expectation is that he will be present with the Chelsea squad for the Club World Cup, which commences on June 14.

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Why are Chelsea fast-tracking Delap signing?

FIFA have changed their transfer windows date, allowing clubs participating at the Club World Cup to acquire new players between June 1 and June 10.

That said, Maresca and the club's recruitment seemingly want to integrate new players as soon as possible, with Andrey Santos also expected to feature after his impressive loan stint with Strasbourg.

Delap could theoretically take Christopher Nkunku's place in the squad, the Frenchman known to be available for transfer this summer and Chelsea likely not wanting to take any risks with his fitness.

Meanwhile, at a time when Nicolas Jackson has struggled for goals since December and Marc Guiu has only just returned from a long-term injury, Delap could prove to be a valuable option.

Written by
Darren Plant