Funny to think when I moved to Chelsea for £ 10 million in 1999, I was their record signature. Now £ 30 million would be an absolute bargain for Liam Delap, a total no-brainer from the blues perspective.
Chelsea can hand him a big salary boost and even, with a 15-year-old deal or which ridiculous contract length is ultimately signed by the 22-year-old Englishman, is he cheaper than the other striker options they could have received.
I see Delap as an all -rounder; He has shown why he can be a finisher, a link-upman and a big chunk in one package.
I like it that he combines it, sometimes plays with his back to goal and sprinting other times on the back, and how he can unleash clean attacks with both the left and the right feet, while defenders never know which way he should show him down.
But once they have him, Chelsea must ensure that they play at his strengths.
Cole Palmer was interesting after the final of the Conference League and actually admitted that he went Rogue when he set up Enzo Fernandez to score the equalizer in that 4-1 win over Real Betis: “I was tired of getting the ball and going backwards and going sideways.”
Enzo Maresca must ensure that he does not continue the creativity of Palmer and that Delap is delivered with the opportunities from which he can score.
It helps that Ipswich tried to play a possession -based philosophy when they were in the Premier League.
Sometimes on their own downfall while they finished the season with the least crosses from every club. I am sure that Delap, who was at 6ft 1 for a long time, would have liked to have hit the strange ball in the box to attack.
Chelsea is not as allergic in crossing as Ipswich, but they must also let him run the channels, keep the ball up as we know he can, connect with the wing players and solve the opposition so that no defender ever thinks he has an easy afternoon.
He is not a shy Bairn, Delap. He will let you know that he is there, as he did when Chelsea Portman Road visited last season and he immediately deposited in Tosin Adarabioyo and then Levi Colwill.
In Chelsea, Delap will be surrounded by elite teammates, not in the least Palmer, who played with him at the Academy of Manchester City. Palmer proved a stem of £ 42.5 million and Delap has the opportunity to follow in his footsteps.
Perhaps his compensation of £ 30 million can help in that respect, because it will alleviate the pressure on this English striker, which in my opinion will only get better and better with time.