Aston Villa enter race to sign Chelsea and Manchester United target Liam Delap – Sources
Aston Villa have entered the race to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, sources have told The Sportzine. The Chelsea and Manchester United target has a £30 million release clause in his contract following the relegation of The Tractor Boys from the Premier League.
Unai Emery is keen on adding a striker this summer and has urged Aston Villa to sign Delap. The Villa Park side are the latest to show interest in him following Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Everton.
The 22-year-old has done well in the Premier League this season and has scored 12 goals, while assisting twice. He has been touted to make the jump from Ipswich Town this summer, with a host of clubs keen on luring him.
Aston Villa see Delap as the striker who can take over from Watkins soon. They are in the market for a striker following the sale of Jhon Duran to Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr in January.
Watkins could also be heading for the exit soon, as he remains a target for Arsenal this summer after the Gunners failed with a late bid to sign him in January. The Englishman is also reported to have some interest from Liverpool, who are looking to sign a replacement for Darwin Nunez.
Paul Merson spoke about Delap earlier this season and urged the striker to pick Aston Villa as his next club over the big clubs in the league. He believes that Emery’s side suits his style and said on Sky Sports:
“He needs to sit down with his agent and his dad [ex-Stoke midfielder Rory Delap], who knows his football after playing at the top level, and think about where’s the best place for him. It’s not always about the money, it’ll be about what team suits him for the way he plays and the chances he gets.”
“For me, the team that ticks the boxes are Aston Villa. They have a big pitch, they play on the counter-attack, so teams come and have a go at Aston Villa.”
Chelsea and Manchester United are the front-runners for Delap. The Blues have been trying to agree personal terms with the striker since February and are pushing to get him in time for the Club World Cup in June.
