Former Premier League defender Paul Parker has said that Chelsea transfer target Liam Delap could be the next Diego Costa.
The Blues are expected to sign a striker in the summer transfer window, and they have been heavily linked to signing Ipswich Town star Liam Delap, who will have a £30 million release clause, assuming that the Tractor Boys get relegated to the Championship.
They are the only team of the three at the bottom yet to be confirmed for the Championship next season, however, they are 14 points behind West Ham in 17th place.
Delap has been a bright spark for Ipswich this season, however, scoring 12 goals in 32 Premier League games, which has attracted the attention of Chelsea and Man United, who have both been linked to the 22-year-old.
Former Man United defender Paul Paker praised Delap when he spoke exclusively to ChelseaNews.com via Betano. He said: “Delap’s had a very good season. The one thing that he’s got about him is that he’s a workaholic, he’ll make the unselfish runs.
“He’s definitely more athletic in the way that he goes, I would say he’s like an English version of Diego Costa, he doesn’t make it easier on anybody, his team comes first, he will fight for everything. This lad has got a fire in his belly, he’s an old school striker.
“There aren’t many players like him at this moment in time who seem like they’re playing for the love (of playing the game).”
Chelsea face competition to sign Delap
At this stage, it seems likely that either Chelsea or Man United will sign Delap this summer, as they are both looking to add a striker to their ranks.
The £30m price tag that Delap will have is a comparative bargain compared to other strikers that the Blues have been linked to such as Victor Osimhen and Benjamin Sesko.
The Blues will need to tempt Delap to Stamford Bridge to avoid United signing him, making the lure of Champions League football all the more important as Enzo Maresca‘s side are battling to finish in the top five.
Click here to see Chelsea’s first team squad for the 2024/25 season.
