Liam Delap picks Chelsea: In-demand Premier League striker makes final decision as Man United, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest are told he will NOT be joining them this summer

Liam Delap has intimated his preference is to join Chelsea as the Stamford Bridge club press to conclude his £30million transfer from Ipswich Town.

Despite concerted efforts from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton in particular, the 22-year-old is preparing to link up with the Europa Conference League winners.

Chelsea have held discussions over the release clause with Ipswich Town and have also discussed the possibility of a forward going to Portman Road on loan in a separate deal.

Mail Sport reported earlier this week that Delap was poised to make his decision after rounds of talks with interested parties last week.

Chelsea will be in the Champions League and have the added bonus of coach Enzo Maresca and star player Cole Palmer having worked closely with Delap previously while together at Manchester City.

Maresca coached Delap for a season and has hailed the striker as ‘fantastic’.

Delap has previously worked with Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca while at Man City

Man United had hoped to wrap up the signing of Delap, but uncertainty over their project is understood to have influence the forward’s decision

Manchester United had hoped to wrap up Delap’s signature early alongside that of Matheus Cunha but the ongoing uncertainty about their project is understood to have influenced his decision.

Ipswich signed Delap from Manchester City, where he made six first-team appearances, last July in a deal worth an initial £15million plus an additional £5m following their promotion to the top flight.

Despite Ipswich’s struggles and subsequent relegation, Delap enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, scoring 12 goals in the Premier League.

He spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons across Championship loan spells at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City respectively, where he scored 12 goals across 70 matches.

Delap is due to be named in Lee Carsley’s squad for the European U21 Championships in Slovakia next month.

Addressing Delap’s future Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said: ‘It looks more likely than not that he will move on this summer, and he has interest from pretty much every club in the league, and I don’t think there are many clubs in the world who wouldn’t want to have him.

’Nothing is sorted, nothing is done or completed or even very, very, very close, so that process will take its course.’