Liam Delap was on the verge of joining Manchester United before a late U-turn saw him move to Chelsea instead, according to reports.
Chelsea’s Liam Delap almost joined Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United were on the brink of signing England Under-21s star Liam Delap before a last-minute change of heart saw him join Chelsea instead, it has been claimed. It’s been suggested that the prospect of playing Champions League football was a key factor in his decision to join the Blues after suffering relegation with former club Ipswich.
United were tantalisingly close to securing their own Champions League spot, only to lose out in the Europa League final against Tottenham in Bilbao. Despite this setback, they’ve managed to attract top attacking talent to Old Trafford, but Delap may well be the first big name they’ve missed out on due to their European disappointment.
The Mail reports that United’s deal for Delap was ‘90% done’. A £30million release clause was triggered when Ipswich were relegated, and Ruben Amorim’s side looked set to sign him until Chelsea stepped in.
The same source also claims that Matheus Cunha – another player with a release clause which removed the need for haggling over price – was United’s primary target. They secured that deal early on, also bringing Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko into the fold, although missing out on Delap could have had wider implications for the club’s transfer strategy.
Delap scored his first Chelsea goal at the Club World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Delap wasted no time in making his mark at Chelsea, scoring in a Club World Cup group stage win over Esperance. However, an injury has since hampered his Premier League progress, and he hasn’t featured since suffering a hamstring injury against Fulham in August.
United’s new frontman Sesko has been gradually introduced, despite a shortage of alternative choices. It took until the Slovenian’s sixth outing for him to find the net in the Premier League, though three of those appearances came from the bench.
Sesko built upon his close-range strike at Brentford with a second United goal in the triumph over Sunderland in the final match before he and a number of United colleagues went away on international duty. That success propelled Amorim’s squad back into the upper half of the table, though the heat remains on before Sunday’s journey to Liverpool.
Benjamin Sesko ended up being Manchester United’s marquee striker signing(Image: Getty Images)
“Of course, he was anxious for his first goal,” Amorim said of Sesko between the Brentford and Sunderland clashes. “The thing I like most in Ben is, even when things are hard for him with the ball, he is working hard in every minute of the game. That is the most important thing in the moment.”
While United’s fixture away to Liverpool will present a significant examination, Chelsea appear to have what seems on paper a more welcoming encounter when they return from the international pause. Enzo Maresca’s side are heading to the City Ground to meet Nottingham Forest, who remain a point adrift of the drop zone and haven’t secured victory since the campaign’s opening weekend.
The match is anticipated to arrive too early for Delap to, however. The forward could return in November following his injury setback, but there’s still a chance Chelsea don’t risk him until the following month.
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