Everton have been informed they will need to pay at least £40million to sign Chelsea forward Liam Delap this summer, according to reports in The Daily Mail, cited by Metro. The Toffees initially identified Delap as a key target last summer, but he ultimately opted for a £30million move to Stamford Bridge from Ipswich Town.
However, Delap’s first season at Chelsea proved disappointing, with the 23-year-old scoring only twice and failing to establish himself in the starting lineup. This has led to Everton renewing their interest, believing he would be a good fit for David Moyes’ system. The club are also monitoring the situation with Thierno Barry, with RB Leipzig expressing interest in the forward who joined Everton from Villarreal for £27.6million.
Should Barry depart, Everton intend to reinvest the funds in a new striker, with Delap among the options being considered. However, they are also exploring alternative targets, most notably Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda. The 27-year-old Japan international has been extensively scouted by Everton after a prolific season, scoring 26 goals in 40 appearances for the Dutch side.
Ueda has continued his impressive form on the international stage, scoring twice in Japan’s recent 4-0 victory over Tunisia at the World Cup. A bid of around £30million is reportedly sufficient to secure his signature, though Everton anticipate competition from other clubs. The potential arrival of either Delap or Ueda would bolster Everton’s attacking options as they look to improve on their Premier League performance next season.
