Liam Delap is likely to leave Chelsea this summer after a challenging first season at Stamford Bridge, with Newcastle United and Everton among the clubs expressing interest in the 23-year-old striker.
Delap arrived at Chelsea from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025 for a reported £30million fee, but has struggled with injuries and limited playing time, scoring just three goals for the club. According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are now prepared to sell the forward as they look to reshape their attacking options.
The anticipated departure of Delap coincides with the arrival of new manager Xabi Alonso, who will take charge on July 1st on a four-year contract. Alonso has reportedly requested the acquisition of a “ready-made” striker, leading the club to consider offloading players who do not fit his plans. Chelsea are also exploring moves for Brentford’s Igor Thiago and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen.
Newcastle are described as keen admirers of Delap, having previously shown interest during his time at Ipswich. However, they would need to sell an existing striker to create space in their squad. Everton are also viewing Delap as a potential solution to bolster their attacking line, having previously attempted to sign him last summer.
Sources suggest Everton would be cautious about paying a fee exceeding the £30million Chelsea originally paid for Delap, a sentiment likely shared by other interested clubs. Brighton and Sunderland are also monitoring the situation, while a return to Ipswich Town has been mentioned as a possibility, though they are not currently considered frontrunners.
Offloading Delap would allow Chelsea to free up funds and squad space as they pursue more established attacking targets under Alonso. For Delap, a move would provide the opportunity for regular first-team football, which is a key priority for the player as he seeks to reignite his career.
