Soccer
Former Chelsea defender warns of caution ahead of possible Liam Delap signing
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Liam Delap is already the talk of the transfer rumour mill just days after the Premier League season ended.
The Ipswich striker is set to make a big move this summer following an impressive season at Portman Road, where, despite the Tractor Boys' struggles, he scored 12 league goals for the club.
The Suffolk club's relegation means a £30 million release clause has been triggered, with a host of the league's big guns all said to be interested in signing the 21-year-old.
According to reports, it's Chelsea who are frontrunners to land Delap, as they look to boost their squad ahead of next season's Champions League campaign, and one former Blues star would welcome the addition.
Speaking exclusively to DAZN News, thanks to William Hill, Frank Sinclair would love to see Delap at Stamford Bridge, but believes he'd be one for the future rather than a statement signing for Enzo Maresca's men.
He said, "I like Delap, don't get me wrong. But, you know, signing for Chelsea and being the number nine for Chelsea, there's real pressure that comes with that position.
"I like the player. You know, I've seen him many years ago in Man City's under-21s and thought he was a top player then. Followed his career, had a conversation with him about two, three weeks ago and talking to him about whether he would fancy the Chelsea move.
"He's optimistic that he's going to move to a big Premier League club in the summer once, you know, obviously, Ipswich have gone down.
"So, I think he's one for the future. And I believe that if he, you know, with 12 goals in a struggling team that gets relegated, that only indicates to me that in a top team he's probably going to get 20-plus goals. And, you know, obviously chipping in with that at Chelsea would be good as a squad player.
"But I can't see him being the one to lead the line next season if you want a challenge for the Premier League."
With more games next season thanks to their top five finish, Chelsea are expected to make several new signings over the summer, and have already been linked with several names, along with Delap.
Sinclair, however, believes the club need to prioritise a new attacking threat on the left flank to give the front three a better balance.
Adding, "There have been lots of links with the likes of Osimhen, Gyokeres, you know, even Morgan Rodgers as another young talented player coming through for the now, but also the future. So, yeah, it's exciting.
"Then there's the likes of Jadon Sancho. Do they take him as a permanent signing or does he go back to Man Utd? He obviously scores a brilliant goal at the end there to just make it that little bit more difficult to make that decision.
"So it'd be interesting because I feel like we definitely need a left-sided forward that is right-footed. I didn't quite like the balance of having two left-wingers either side. I feel like it doesn't give you the fluency that you need to be able to attack on the inside and the outside of both sides of the pitch."
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