Chelsea’s prayers answered as €72m star paves way to DREAM signing

Chelsea’s summer transfer market could be unlocked by an unlikely source, leading them to land a dream signing such as Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap.

The Blues suffered a 3-0 loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Friday night, with the performance of Enzo Maresca’s player branded ‘like a 5-a-side’ team by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville.

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Chelsea notably finished the game without mustering a single shot on target.

Inevitably, Maresca’s forward line again came under question, with critics pointing out that they are lacking a true centre-forward aside from the injured Nicolas Jackson.

The Senegal star has had his share of critics, despite scoring nine league goals and creating five more this season. Yet Jackson could be the key to Chelsea’s summer transfer window, with the club likely to be forced into selling before buying due to Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

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Jackson is wanted by Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa and Newcastle, The Sun reports.

Crucially, Chelsea will be able to sell at a sizeable profit. He was signed from Villarreal for €37m but now has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €72m.

This should allow Maresca’s side to invest in a pricier alternative.

Chelsea in pole for Delap

One player they are known to have been studying closely is Ipswich striker Delap, who is seen as a bargain option given his potential.

Like Cole Palmer, he came through the Manchester City youth academy and he is seen as a cheap but effective option to upgrade from Jackson. Other candidates for the No.9 role, such as Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, are all liable to be far pricier.

Ben Jacobs has even said that Chelsea are ahead of Manchester United in the race for Delap, with numerous figures in the Blues’ hierarchy pushing for a deal to go through.

Delap has an ETV of €33m, and even if Chelsea are forced to pay significantly more than that figure, they could wind up in the dream position of improving at No.9 while also making a transfer profit.