Alan Shearer names striker with £40million release clause who Chelsea or Man Utd should sign
Alan Shearer is a huge fan of Ipswich striker Liam Delap (Picture: Getty) Alan Shearer fears it is inevitable that Ipswich striker Liam Delap will be linked with a big money move to Manchester United or Chelsea this summer. The England Under-21 international joined the Tractor Boys in the summer following a £20 million move from Manchester City. Despite Ipswich struggling towards the foot of the table, Delap has enjoyed a reputation enhancing Premier League campaign. Indeed, the 22-year-old’s goal in Town’s midweek win over Bournemouth, which kept alive his side’s remote hopes of avoiding relegation, represented his 11th of the season. Does Liam Delap have a release clause? Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. City inserted a buyback clause in his contract upon sanctioning his departure but are unlikely to activate that given the presence of Erling Haaland and January recruit Omar Marmoush. Rival clubs such as Chelsea and United, however, would be able to buy Delap for around £40m and Shearer feels the squad of both clubs would be enhanced by his presence. He told Betfair: ‘Liam Delap has been one of the standouts in a really poor season for Ipswich and it’s difficult when you’re up against it every single week to stand out but he’s been one that has. Liam Delap has enjoyed a stellar season with Ipswich ‘Ipswich fans won’t want to hear it, but it’s inevitable that he’ll be linked with massive football clubs because he’s a really good talent. They’re sat on something special are Ipswich. They put their neck on the line and paid the money for him and they’ve done very well with him. ‘Delap has stood out this season which unfortunately means that he will attract the attention of the big clubs. ‘It’s going to be very difficult for Ipswich to keep hold of him, particularly because if, as expected, they’re going to get relegated. Having had a taste of the Premier League, he won’t want to go back to the Championship. ‘He’ll want to stay in the big league, so it’s going to be very difficult for Ipswich to keep hold of him. What has Liam Delap said about joining Man Utd? ‘I’m so happy here, I’m enjoying it so much here. I just look forward to playing football. I take every game as it comes and focus on the next,” Delap said in an interview with the East Anglian Daily Times last month. ‘It [the media speculation] is something that I try and stay away from. People around me have told me to stay away from it, it’s something that I’m very good at in focusing on what I want to do. That’s playing football here. ‘I’m really enjoying my time here and I enjoy playing every week. That’s the most important thing. We know, as players and people, that there is noise. If we have a bad game and people are slating us for not performing or getting the right results, we stay focused on ourselves and what we have to achieve.’ Liam Delap scored his 11th goal of the season in Ipswich’s win at Bournemouth (Picture: Getty) ‘If they go down then he won’t want to stay. Who would want to go down and play in the Championship, having had a taste of Premier League football – that’s only natural. ‘Big clubs will be looking at him, because I think he’s got something about him. He’s got an arrogance about him, which I really like and he’s got an aura. ‘He’s already been linked with a number of clubs in the Premier League and looking at who he’s been linked with I think he can go in and command a starting role, because he’s better than anything Man Utd have got up front. He’s also better than anything Chelsea have got up front, so the answer is simple – yes, he would start for those clubs. ‘I think the good sign is that he’s done really well in a struggling team and has, without a doubt, been the standout. They’ll do well to keep hold of him and Ipswich fans will not want to hear that! ‘They’ll probably get angry hearing that, but that’s the reality unfortunately.’
Alan Shearer fears it is inevitable that Ipswich striker Liam Delap will be linked with a big money move to Manchester United or Chelsea this summer.
The England Under-21 international joined the Tractor Boys in the summer following a £20 million move from Manchester City.
Despite Ipswich struggling towards the foot of the table, Delap has enjoyed a reputation enhancing Premier League campaign.
Indeed, the 22-year-old’s goal in Town’s midweek win over Bournemouth, which kept alive his side’s remote hopes of avoiding relegation, represented his 11th of the season.
Does Liam Delap have a release clause?
Get personalised updates on Manchester United every day
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you.
City inserted a buyback clause in his contract upon sanctioning his departure but are unlikely to activate that given the presence of Erling Haaland and January recruit Omar Marmoush.
Rival clubs such as Chelsea and United, however, would be able to buy Delap for around £40m and Shearer feels the squad of both clubs would be enhanced by his presence.
He told Betfair: ‘Liam Delap has been one of the standouts in a really poor season for Ipswich and it’s difficult when you’re up against it every single week to stand out but he’s been one that has.
‘Ipswich fans won’t want to hear it, but it’s inevitable that he’ll be linked with massive football clubs because he’s a really good talent. They’re sat on something special are Ipswich. They put their neck on the line and paid the money for him and they’ve done very well with him.
‘Delap has stood out this season which unfortunately means that he will attract the attention of the big clubs.
‘It’s going to be very difficult for Ipswich to keep hold of him, particularly because if, as expected, they’re going to get relegated. Having had a taste of the Premier League, he won’t want to go back to the Championship.
‘He’ll want to stay in the big league, so it’s going to be very difficult for Ipswich to keep hold of him.
What has Liam Delap said about joining Man Utd?
‘I’m so happy here, I’m enjoying it so much here. I just look forward to playing football. I take every game as it comes and focus on the next,” Delap said in an interview with the East Anglian Daily Times last month.
‘It [the media speculation] is something that I try and stay away from. People around me have told me to stay away from it, it’s something that I’m very good at in focusing on what I want to do. That’s playing football here.
‘I’m really enjoying my time here and I enjoy playing every week. That’s the most important thing. We know, as players and people, that there is noise. If we have a bad game and people are slating us for not performing or getting the right results, we stay focused on ourselves and what we have to achieve.’
‘If they go down then he won’t want to stay. Who would want to go down and play in the Championship, having had a taste of Premier League football – that’s only natural.
‘Big clubs will be looking at him, because I think he’s got something about him. He’s got an arrogance about him, which I really like and he’s got an aura.
‘He’s already been linked with a number of clubs in the Premier League and looking at who he’s been linked with I think he can go in and command a starting role, because he’s better than anything Man Utd have got up front. He’s also better than anything Chelsea have got up front, so the answer is simple – yes, he would start for those clubs.
‘I think the good sign is that he’s done really well in a struggling team and has, without a doubt, been the standout. They’ll do well to keep hold of him and Ipswich fans will not want to hear that!
‘They’ll probably get angry hearing that, but that’s the reality unfortunately.’
