Tuanzebe: Delap Has Been Fantastic
Tuesday, 15th Apr 2025 12:06 by Kallum Brisset
Town defender Axel Tuanzebe says Liam Delap has shown he is good enough to play in the Premier League and added that it is natural the striker is getting plaudits for his displays this season.
Delap has a £30 million release clause in his contract should, as is likely, the Blues are relegated to the Championship at the end of this season.
Chelsea and Manchester United are leading the chase for the striker, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Juventus also believed to be monitoring the 22-year-old.
Tuanzebe, who himself is out of contract at the end of the season, heaped praise on the Town frontman and understands why a plethora of top clubs are showing an interest.
“Credit to Liam, he’s been great around the group for his first season,” he said. “Playing at the top level he’s been nothing but excellent for us, it’s natural that he’s going to get his praises and accolades.
“We’re there to support him and keep him on path, there’s still a job to do. Even though he’s getting the right sort of noise and exposure, he still knows his commitments to the team and he’s professional enough to execute that.
“Liam has been good, he’s improved massively in terms of game understanding for the team. He has his traits – in front of goal he’s deadly, he’s a strong lad and he’s robust.
“He’s been fantastic for us, he steps up to the challenge. I don’t think there’s been a game this season where he’s not been willing to give his best foot forward and ultimately that’s what it’s about.
“You could say we’re an inexperienced team in the Premier League, what we need is everybody being professional and wanting to execute their job to the best of their ability. Liam has shown that time and time again.”
Delap had never started in the top flight before his move to Suffolk, but Tuanzebe believes his background as a youth player at Manchester City gave him no hesitation that the Blues’ 12-goal top scorer could succeed at Premier League level.
“I’ve always said that if you give someone enough chances to play in the Premier League, eventually they’ll adapt and it’s just about how quickly they can adapt,” the defender said.
“Liam being a strong lad coming from Manchester City’s academy, there’s no doubt he’s good enough. He’s been around the best and he’s shown time and time again that he’s good enough to play in this league. He’s been a credit to himself.”
Tuanzebe has also spoken about his own role in the Blues side, where he has featured in a hybrid role that resembles a mix of a centre-back and a right-back.
Having started around half of Town’s league matches this season, the 27-year-old has been one of the first names on the team sheet when available for selection in a position that suits his game to a tee.
He said: “It requires a lot of running. If you look at Leif [Davis]’s position, he starts a lot higher up so it’s easier for him to join the play up the pitch. For me, I’m running from a much deeper position and obviously tracking back as well.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, I have my responsibilities and my importance within the team. Ultimately as a player that’s what you thrive off, the manager being able to trust you to execute the role week in week out.
“I don’t think anybody enjoys the running side but it’s necessary and it’s what the game requires now. If you want to play for a top side, you have to run and be willing to make sacrificial runs, running forward and back, whatever is needed you have to do for the team.
“That’s definitely an ethos we have here at this club, everybody is willing to work for each other and we understand each other’s role so well that I can tell you where certain individuals should be so if they’re not in that position I’m straight on them.”
One of those individuals who has featured alongside Tuanzebe this season is Dara O’Shea, the Irishman being virtually an ever-present since his debut and being widely touted as a future successor to Sam Morsy as captain.
“We’ve grown a lot and got used to certain dynamics and traits that we’ve picked up from each other and that level of trust has increased massively,” Tuanzebe said on their relationship.
“Our communication is constant throughout the game, I know what to expect from Dara and Dara knows what to expect from me.
“That mutual respect is very important because Dara’s another lad where a lot of lads see him as a senior pro and someone that’s played in the Premier League. Us two being responsible and trusted within the backline just ushers the confidence throughout the team.”
When not playing for the Blues, Tuanzebe can also be seen in action internationally for DR Congo, who have high ambitions of success at the next two major tournaments.
The Bunia-born defender says he always represents Les Léopards with immense pride following his debut for the African nation last year.
Tuanzebe said: “I was born there, I speak the language, that’s my culture and mannerism. Representing the country is definitely a proud moment for me and my family.
“Unfortunately I’ve missed a few of the international games due to the hand and hamstring issues. Big games coming up leading the table for the World Cup qualifiers, we definitely want to make the World Cup in 2026.
“African Cup of Nations is another big tournament and we want to do well in it, the last one we finished fourth. We’re there, we’re climbing, the manager’s implemented a good working environment and work ethic, so all I can see is the team going up.”
Photo: TWTD
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Really hoping we can hang on to Axel, Cam and O’Shea for next season. It wouldn’t be ideal needing to rebuild the back line. Highly unlikely Delap will be here so that disappointing £30m will need to be well spent. The return of Burns, Smodicz and Ogbene (if all back to their best) will be massive tho.
He hit nail on head, he is back doing defending while Davis is up front thinking he is a winger, the amount of goals conceeded because of Davis being forward is shocking, but do you blame him for doing what Mckenna says or do you blame Mckenna for not recognising what has been obvious to everyone who watches. He just doesn’t have pace for a wingback in Prem.
Why he can’t play left mid is beyond me, well its not, Mckeenna has loads wingers buy has to play league 1 lads.
I agree Ogbene and Szmodicks be welcome return but Burns no way, don’t need him, we want to get back to Prem, hope he gets fit so he can be sold for profit, not a Prem player so no point keeping him for promotion push.
Cardiff be good for him, low level Championship
He can’t play left mid as we already have 3 players for that position in Broady, Clarke and Philogene.
@blueheath
They are left wingers
Why am I downmarked surely there are not fans who think Davis has been good and not cost us a bucket of goals this season, way more than Muric and Morsy but exempt from criticism along with Mckenna it seems and their can’t be fans who expect Wes Burns to be part of squad next season, what for? He is okay in Championship but shouldn’t be near first 11 or a sub, we know he is not Prem quality so no point. When are people going to get over promotions, they are just part of club history now
I think Ogbene could be very handy in the Championship, but I’m a little worried that he’s been out for so long. It may take some time to get back to his best.
Am I right in saying half the fans want this to be line up at start next season
Palmer
H Clarke
Woolfenden
Burgess
Davis
Morsy
Taylor
Chaplin
Burns
Broadhead
Hirst
Instead of
Palmer
Tunazabe
O’Shea
Greaves
Townsend
Cajuste or New signing
Szmodicks
Hutchinson
Phillogene
J Clarke
New striker
Subs
Slicker
Woolfenden
New LB
Humphries
Ogbene
H Clarke
Johnson
Broadhead
Morsy
New mid
New forward
Think league 1 lads only going to get better
Expecting big changes next season especially in player recruitment. Players who have the potential to play in the Premier league and the physicality and athleticism to last at least 75 minutes of a game expecting we shall be looking abroad where players prices are not over inflated. We know most of our present squad are not up to Premier league quality but are good enough to probably get us promoted so im expecting a lot of comings and goings in the summer that i know is not always popular with the fans seeing their favourites go out the door.
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