PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 24: Liam Delap of Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 … More group D match between Esperance de Tunis and Chelsea FC at Lincoln Financial Field on June 24, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
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Under the sweltering heat of Philadelphia, Liam Delap cushioned the ball before placing it precisely into the ES Tunis net.
The goal was the 22-year-old鈥檚 first for his new club, Chelsea, and he savored every second.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible feeling. I came here to get goals, so to get the first one over and done with is a great feeling,鈥 he said post-game.
鈥淚t was a great pass from Enzo [Fernandez,] but luckily it went in. Yes, I think it is a little bit of relief, not relief, but an extra bit of confidence; when coming to a place like this, you need confidence and belief.
鈥淚t鈥檚 right up there [with my favorite goals], and it means a lot to me.鈥
For many players, the prospect of a Club World Cup at the end of a grueling season is not alluring. But in Delap鈥檚 case, as a new signing who wishes to integrate as quickly as possible with teammates, the competition is precisely what he needs.
鈥淥bviously, this tournament has helped me settle in because back at the training ground, everyone disappears at 3pm, but here we are together all the time, and it has helped me settle in,鈥 he added.
鈥淚 know the manager really well, so hopefully, I can continue growing.鈥
A host of top sides eyed Delap after he bagged 12 goals in 37 matches for Ipswich in his first Premier League season. This feat was more impressive because it was achieved at a side that was relegated to the Championship.
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The striker chose Chelsea because of his longstanding relationship with Enzo Maresca, his youth team coach from Manchester City.
As the Italian manager admitted much after the deal was signed.
鈥淪o the conversation with Liam was quite clear. He was keen to join us because he knows the way we play from the season that we were together [at Manchester City],鈥 he explained.
鈥淲e won for the first time for Manchester City the [Premier League]
under-23 competition, and he scored 24, 25 goals that season.
鈥淪o he knows exactly what we can give to him, and as I said before, I know what Liam can give us. So, I think it鈥檚 a win-win, and the conversation was quite an easy one. We like Liam, Liam likes us, so it was an easy conversation.鈥
Maresca said that after the game, he wasn鈥檛 surprised at Delap settling so quickly for these reasons.
鈥淲e expected the process with Liam to be quite quick because he knows us, and we know him,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e know each other very well. The process for him is quite quick. It is also because he is a very good player.鈥
The Pressure Mounts
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03: Liam Delap of Chelsea poses for a photo as Chelsea unveil him as a new … More signing ahead of the 2025/2026 season at Stamford Bridge on June 03, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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Whenever English prospects emerge, they generate more excitement than foreign talents, and Delap is no exception.
There is already talk of him challenging Harry Kane for the central striker role in the national team, an ambitious target, to say the least.
鈥淚 said Liam can be England鈥檚 No. 9 when we faced Ipswich. Now he is a Chelsea player, I鈥檓 going to say again, I don鈥檛 have any doubt that he can be in the future England No. 9,鈥 Marseca said of his forward.
鈥淚 never say to a player you are going to be first choice. The message is always the same: you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other No. 9, and you can be first choice No. 9.鈥
It鈥檚 a task that is far from straightforward, given that Chelsea had a central striker when Delap arrived, Nicholas Jackson, a player who has shown steady improvement.
But the noises outside the club are already feeding the hype and expectations around Delap.
鈥淗e鈥檚 going to score goals, I鈥檒l guarantee you that,鈥 a giddy Gabriel Agbonlahor told TalkSport.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not here to be a bit-part player. He鈥檚 at Chelsea to be a number-one striker, and I really think he will.
The former Aston Villa forward added: 鈥淚f I鈥檓 him, I鈥檓 saying to myself, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 my target? World Cup, that鈥檚 my target next summer.鈥
Delap will draw confidence from the example of his Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer, whom he played with in the Manchester City youth system.
Palmer has excelled since moving to London, reaching heights that make the Citizens鈥 decision to let him leave look ill-judged.
According to Brian Barry-Murphy, a coach who worked with both players in the North West, the pair will benefit each other because they connected well as youngsters.
鈥淚 think they鈥檙e so linked because of the ability of one to serve the other,鈥 he told Sky Sports.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l have seen Cole speak recently about how he wants to play forward, be expressive and aggressive. Liam is the one who will be willing to make those movements.
鈥淎t City, we would always speak about Liam having no reason not to make the run because Cole will find you. And it鈥檒l be very interesting to see how that will manifest itself under Enzo Maresca.鈥
But until Delap starts delivering the goods, this is all hyperbole; he needs first to establish himself as Chelsea鈥檚 number one striker and demonstrate he can produce the goods for more than one campaign.
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