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FIFA Club World Cup: How Liam Delap has quickly grown into Chelsea's No.9 jersey
Talk to anyone about Liam Delap and the soundbites are always the same.
“A huge talent… Harry Kane’s long-term successor for England… how good could he be?”
Well, three games into his Chelsea career at the FIFA Club World Cup - where every game is free to watch on DAZN - and the coveted No.9 jersey already looks a fine fit for the 22-year-old England Under-21 striker.
Having shown glimpses of his awesome potential during the Blues’ opening two matches, Delap did something special in their final group game against ES Tunis on Wednesday.
He scored his first goal for the club, a pivotal moment in his fledgling career and a reminder of why Chelsea were so keen to pay Ipswich Town £30 million for him this summer.
Collecting a neat pass from Enzo Fernandez inside the left channel, Delap showed delightful skill to spin past one ES Tunis defender and then beat another before passing the ball almost nonchalantly into the net.
It was a touch of class from a player long tipped for the top.
Delap had impressed on his debut in the opening game against LAFC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, coming off the bench to create a goal for Fernandes.
He made his first start in the 3-1 defeat at the hands of Flamengo at Lincoln Financial Field and then grabbed his first goal in the 3-0 win at the same venue on Wednesday.
That confirmed qualification to the Round of 16 for Enzo Maresca’s side, who now face Benfica in Charlotte on Sunday.
But for Delap it went deeper.
Scoring his maiden goal for the club – to cap a player of the match performance – removed some of the pressure of that £30million price tag from his young shoulders.
Moreover, it further cemented his place in Maresca’s affections as Chelsea bid to go all the way in the Club World Cup and win another trophy ahead of a huge Premier League season which will also see them play in the Champions League.
Huge concerns remain over the temperament of Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea’s other main striking option.
He collected eight yellow cards and one red last season and was then sent off again in the defeat to Flamengo.
Jackson earned a two-match ban so will remain suspended for Sunday’s crunch showdown with Benfica.
And so Delap has another golden opportunity to establish himself as Maresca’s main man.
Certainly his three performances so far in the US have proved little that was not known.
Delap knows where the goal is, as he has proved during his impressive rise through the youth ranks at Manchester City, where he was nurtured by Maresca.
Then came loan spells in the Championship at Preston North End, Stoke City and Hull City before Ipswich Town brought him for £15 million last summer following their promotion to the Premier League.
Ipswich got relegated, but there was no shame in that and Delap enhanced his reputation with 12 goals in 37 Premier League games and some stellar displays up front.
His £30m release clause attracted interest from Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Manchester City also held a buy-back option on their former player – but Delap opted for a reunion with Maresca and it is proving a wise decision.
He was handed the No.9 squad jersey and shrugged off the iconic shirt which has seen many high-profile players struggle with in recent years, including Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata and Fernando Torres.
Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel claimed in August 2022 that the players discussed the possibility of the shirt being cursed.
“It’s something that’s related to strikers so I chose it,” explained Delap earlier this week.
“At the end of the day it’s a number on the back of your shirt.
“To me, it doesn’t really mean a lot, it’s just a number. Number 9 has always been related to strikers so it’s something that I like but there’s no pressure.”
In a team flooded with youthful promise – with his former City academy team-mate Cole Palmer one of English football’s greatest talents – Delap’s importance to Chelsea looks set to grow.
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