{"id":23860,"date":"2025-04-16T04:48:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T04:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/23860\/"},"modified":"2025-04-16T04:48:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T04:48:11","slug":"tuanzebe-delap-has-been-fantastic-ipswich-town-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/23860\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuanzebe: Delap Has Been Fantastic – Ipswich Town News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tuanzebe: Delap Has Been Fantastic
Tuesday, 15th Apr 2025 12:06 by Kallum Brisset<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

Delap has a \u00a330 million release clause in his contract should, as is likely, the Blues are relegated to the Championship at the end of this season.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cCredit to Liam, he\u2019s been great around the group for his first season,\u201d he said. \u201cPlaying at the top level he\u2019s been nothing but excellent for us, it\u2019s natural that he\u2019s going to get his praises and accolades.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re there to support him and keep him on path, there\u2019s still a job to do. Even though he\u2019s getting the right sort of noise and exposure, he still knows his commitments to the team and he\u2019s professional enough to execute that.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiam has been good, he\u2019s improved massively in terms of game understanding for the team. He has his traits \u2013 in front of goal he\u2019s deadly, he\u2019s a strong lad and he\u2019s robust.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been fantastic for us, he steps up to the challenge. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s been a game this season where he\u2019s not been willing to give his best foot forward and ultimately that\u2019s what it\u2019s about.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could say we\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n


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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\u2019 12-goal top scorer could succeed at Premier League level.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always said that if you give someone enough chances to play in the Premier League, eventually they\u2019ll adapt and it\u2019s just about how quickly they can adapt,\u201d the defender said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiam being a strong lad coming from Manchester City\u2019s academy, there\u2019s no doubt he\u2019s good enough. He\u2019s been around the best and he\u2019s shown time and time again that he\u2019s good enough to play in this league. He\u2019s been a credit to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Having started around half of Town\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cIt requires a lot of running. If you look at Leif [Davis]\u2019s position, he starts a lot higher up so it\u2019s easier for him to join the play up the pitch. For me, I\u2019m running from a much deeper position and obviously tracking back as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve thoroughly enjoyed it, I have my responsibilities and my importance within the team. Ultimately as a player that\u2019s what you thrive off, the manager being able to trust you to execute the role week in week out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think anybody enjoys the running side but it\u2019s necessary and it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n


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\u201cThat\u2019s definitely an ethos we have here at this club, everybody is willing to work for each other and we understand each other\u2019s role so well that I can tell you where certain individuals should be so if they’re not in that position I\u2019m straight on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those individuals who has featured alongside Tuanzebe this season is Dara O\u2019Shea, the Irishman being virtually an ever-present since his debut and being widely touted as a future successor to Sam Morsy as captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve grown a lot and got used to certain dynamics and traits that we\u2019ve picked up from each other and that level of trust has increased massively,\u201d Tuanzebe said on their relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur communication is constant throughout the game, I know what to expect from Dara and Dara knows what to expect from me.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat mutual respect is very important because Dara\u2019s another lad where a lot of lads see him as a senior pro and someone that\u2019s played in the Premier League. Us two being responsible and trusted within the backline just ushers the confidence throughout the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Bunia-born defender says he always represents Les L\u00e9opards with immense pride following his debut for the African nation last year.<\/p>\n

Tuanzebe said: \u201cI was born there, I speak the language, that\u2019s my culture and mannerism. Representing the country is definitely a proud moment for me and my family.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfrican Cup of Nations is another big tournament and we want to do well in it, the last one we finished fourth. We\u2019re there, we\u2019re climbing, the manager\u2019s implemented a good working environment and work ethic, so all I can see is the team going up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo: TWTD <\/p>\n


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Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n\nWhoisJimmyJuan<\/a> added 12:32 – Apr 15<\/p>\n

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 \u00a330m will need to be well spent. The return of Burns, Smodicz and Ogbene (if all back to their best) will be massive tho. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nLeejames99<\/a> added 13:33 – Apr 15
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. <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nBlue_Heath<\/a> added 13:41 – Apr 15<\/p>\n

He can’t play left mid as we already have 3 players for that position in Broady, Clarke and Philogene. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nLeejames99<\/a> added 15:44 – Apr 15
@blueheath
They are left wingers <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nSteve_ITFC_Sweden<\/a> added 17:38 – Apr 15<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nLeejames99<\/a> added 18:27 – Apr 15
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 <\/p>\n

Instead of
Palmer
Tunazabe
O’Shea
Greaves
Townsend
Cajuste or New signing
Szmodicks
Hutchinson
Phillogene
J Clarke
New striker <\/p>\n

Subs
Slicker
Woolfenden
New LB
Humphries
Ogbene
H Clarke
Johnson
Broadhead
Morsy
New mid
New forward <\/p>\n

Think league 1 lads only going to get better <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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<\/p>\n\nLinkboy13<\/a> added 19:58 – Apr 15<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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