Look away Liam Delap as Chelsea accelerate plans after Newcastle United transfer hijack

Add as preferred source on Google

Liam Delap has chosen a move to Chelsea over joining Newcastle United this summer. 

Delap established himself as one of the most in-demand strikers in the Premier League after a fine season on an individual front for Ipswich Town. 

Despite their relegation, the 22-year-old bagged an impressive 12 goals in what was a successful breakout campaign. Newcastle United, along with others, took note. 

Newcastle held talks to sign Delap but look set to miss out on the England U21 international. 

Indeed, Delap is set to join Chelsea for £30million due to the release clause in his contract at Portman Road. 

It’s thought Delap joined Chelsea because Alexander Isak is Newcastle’s first-choice striker, meaning he’d struggle for minutes.  

The latest transfer news emerging from Stamford Bridge, however, may not be welcome news for the forward. 

• READ MORE: Winners and losers as Liam Delap snubs Newcastle United including ‘unpredictable’ £15m star

Chelsea want to sign another striker after Liam Delap move  

According to The Daily Mirror, the Blues are still keen to add another forward. 

In fact, they are expected to hold talks with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, who was of course a Newcastle target a few years ago.

With Nicolas Jackson also on the books, the first-team football Delap was looking for may be hard to come by. The report adds that Jackson very much remains a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans in west London. 

Ekitike has a huge market value, so it would surely be unlikely that he’d just sit on the bench were he to join Chelsea.  

At Newcastle, it’s only Isak ahead of another forward of Delap’s kind of profile. Granted, he’s a sizeable figure to overcome but Newcastle planned to play Isak and Delap together. 

Over at Chelsea, the competition for a starting berth could be so much harder. 

Newcastle United ready to move on from Liam Delap saga

Newcastle are moving onto other targets after missing out on Delap, though it remains to be seen who they are. 

Excitingly, Newcastle plan to sign four players this summer, one of which will hopefully be a new striker.  

Isak simply cannot be expected to play every game next season, when the added burden of Champions League football will increase the pressure on Eddie Howe’s squad. 

The club need a striker, especially because Callum Wilson looks set to leave Newcastle this summer. 

Delap would surely have stood a better chance of playing at Newcastle than Chelsea if they do go out and land a big-name striker…