Enzo Maresca says he would take a clone of Nicolas Jackson if Chelsea signed a striker this summer and described Liam Delap of Ipswich, who is high on their list of goals, as a 'enemy' on Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Thanks to a release clause, Delap is available for only £ 30 million if Ipswich is relegated from the Premier League. Chelsea is confronted with fierce competition from others to land the 22-year-old with Manchester United also interested.
Reporters interrogated Maresca on Delap while visiting the visit of Ipswich this weekend and, while, while he greeted the younger Bigging with whom he worked in the Academy of Manchester City, the Blues -Baas also Jackson as his perfect center Vooruit.
“He is doing fantastic,” said Maresca about Delap's progress in his first full Premier League season. “He has already scored 12 goals. But it is not just in terms of his figures. The way he plays and fights and is always 'there'.
“But he is an Ipswich player. He is an enemy on Sunday because we have to beat them, and after the game I wish him the very best for the future.
'To compare Liam with Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, I think it's a bit early. But certainly, in terms of style, he is that kind of players. They are all real nines. They are nines in the box.
“But we also have a good nine. Nico is doing well since we started. Unfortunately we missed him and sometimes you have to miss players to realize how important they are for you.
'With Nico we are a very different team than when he was injured. We are happy with Nico as our striker. '
Asked to explain his perfect profile for a striker, Maresca said: 'My perfect no. 9 is exactly Nico Jackson. We already have a no. 9. It's not the summer now. If we can have a copy of Nico, it's okay. With Nico we are a better team. Nico is the one we need.
“We are happy with Nico. And about next season? It is not the time (to talk about transfers). '
Chelsea is confronted with a challenging run-in compared to their rivals, but can remain within the Champions League positions by beating Ipswich, which are 12 points of safety in the Premier League.
They can at least assure themselves that they are set for the semi-final of the Conference League after beating Legia Warsaw 3-0 in their first stage from home on Thursday.