Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has responded to rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea after the Tractor Boys' famous 2-0 win over the Blues in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old stole the spotlight when Chelsea paid a visit to Portman Road on Monday evening, firing home a pinpoint penalty before setting up Omari Hutchinson to finish the job.
Delap has now recorded seven goals and two assists in 18 top-flight matches for Kieran McKenna's side, whose beating of Chelsea was their first Premier League home win of the campaign.
The former Manchester City striker is believed to be on the Blues' shortlist of possible striker signings for 2025, having been identified by the sporting team as a player with 'exceptional transfer metrics'.
However, speaking to Suffolk News following Tuesday's momentous success, Delap affirmed that he was paying little attention to the constant speculation and was just trying to make a name for himself in the Premier League.
Delap plays down Chelsea transfer talk
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"I don't really look at things like that. So, yes, I'm just focused on Ipswich," the striker said, before also bringing up Hutchinson, who was sold to Ipswich by Chelsea this summer.
"We [along with Hutchinson] are lucky to be playing in the Premier League. I think we've got a great opportunity here at Ipswich and we're just trying to show our ability week in, week out, that's a big plus for me."
Delap failed to make the grade at Man City, only making six senior appearances and scoring one goal for Pep Guardiola's side, who could make £20m from his sale if all add-ons are hit.
The 21-year-old - who is the son of former Stoke City man Rory Delap - signed a five-year deal with the Tractor Boys until the summer of 2029, and Man City are also said to possess a 20% sell-on clause.
However, McKenna's side might be fighting a losing battle to keep hold of Delap if they suffer a swift relegation back down to the Championship, a distinct possibility with the club sat 18th in the Premier League table, one point adrift of safety.
Which other strikers are Chelsea pursuing?
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For the most part, Chelsea have not seen their failure to sign a new big-money striker in the summer come back to bite them, as Nicolas Jackson has come on leaps and bounds this season while Cole Palmer continues to excel.
However, the loss to Ipswich made it three Premier League games in a row without a win for Chelsea, who have only scored one goal in that time and have slipped to fourth in the standings as a result.
Christopher Nkunku did not cut the mustard up front in place of Jackson on Monday night, and the Blues are said to have a few names in mind for 2025, including Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson.
Chelsea could also reignite their long-standing interest in Napoli's Victor Osimhen once his Galatasaray loan comes to an end, while Randal Kolo Muani of Paris Saint-Germain has been mentioned as another potential target.
A separate report has suggested that the Blues are not actively pursuing a deal for the Frenchman, though, as the club have complete confidence in Jackson to continue firing for the rest of the season.
Ben Knapton
