Manchester United are ‘favourites’ to sign Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap this summer after Arsenal made a surprising transfer decision.
Plenty of top clubs have expressed interest in signing Delap, who has hit double digits within the Premier League this season.
Delap’s productivity in front of goal is much more impressive given he’s plying his trade for the third-worst team within the English top-flight.
Ipswich have won just 4 of their 32 league games this season and look set to be relegated before the tip of the month together with Leicester City and Southampton.
Once Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship is confirmed, clubs can sign Delap for just £30m because of a clause in his contract.
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Delap’s surprisingly low buy-out clause has excited plenty of interested clubs, with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham eyeing summer moves.
Based on the Day by day Mail, Man United are ‘favourites’ to sign Delay ahead of their Premier League rivals despite one other difficult season for the Red Devils.
United are only 4 places above Ipswich Town within the Premier League table having won just ten of their 32 league games.
Despite their dismal league form, Manchester United seem like leading the race to sign Delap, formerly of Manchester City before his departure from the Etihad Stadium last summer.
There stays the likelihood that United miss out on Delap, nevertheless, with ‘extensive interest’ from Spain and Germany in addition to almost every team within the Premier League.
Liam Delap 2024-25 stats
Club: Ipswich Town
Age: 22
Games: 31
Goals: 12
Assists: 2
Actually, it’s claimed Arsenal are the one English top-flight club ‘not chasing’ Delap despite their obvious need for a brand new striker.
Mikel Arteta desired to welcome a brand new goalscorer to the Emirates Stadium in January but failed, with Arsenal’s bid for Ollie Watkins rejected by Aston Villa.
Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko, Victor Osimhen and Delap have all been linked with summer moves to Arsenal however the club have reportedly gone cold on Delap and have decided to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements.
Arsenal can have a major transfer kitty following their subdued January window however it stays to be seen how much Amorim is given to enhance his struggling United squad.
Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer, believes Manchester United ‘desperately’ must sign a brand new striker, goalkeeper and central midfielder.
‘For them to go forwards by way of recruitment, every part relies on winning the Europa League and getting back within the Champions League,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘We all know Ruben Amorim has got an enormous job on his hands, it’s going to take loads of time and loads of money to repair that football club. They should follow him. They’ve made their decision.
‘He needs two or three transfer windows because they’re in desperate need of a centre forward, they’re in desperate need of a goalkeeper, they’re in desperate need of some legs in midfield.
‘It’s an enormous job so you might want to follow him. But he’s asking players to do something they’ll’t do, they’re really struggling.’
Manchester United’s decision to sign a brand new striker doesn’t reflect well on £72m signing Rasmus Hojlund, who has endured a dismal season and appears set to be moved on this summer.
Liam Delap ‘not ready’ for Man Utd
Liverpool legend and former Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson doubts Delap is ‘ready’ for a move to a club the dimensions of Manchester United.
‘Manchester United shouldn’t go for Liam Delap since it is just too early for him to make the step up,’ he told Paddy Power. ‘If he involves Old Trafford and is predicted to be the predominant scorer, that just isn’t going to work.
‘For me, Delap should go to a different club first, as I imagine he’s not able to play for any of the large boys yet.
‘Despite him doing well at Ipswich Town this season, it’s such a unique level playing at a club like Manchester United. When you will have the expectation of scoring every week, the pressure is just too much for some.
‘He’s a great player and goes to be a top striker, but I just don’t think he’s ready for that big step yet.’
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