Xabi Alonso has been urged to offload Liam Delap with the Chelsea striker described as a “Championship player trying to cut it at a top Premier League team”.
The Spaniard has just been appointed at Stamford Bridge and will need to assess the squad he’s inherited, which includes the former Ipswich striker. Chelsea saw off competition from the likes of Manchester United to sign Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30million last summer.
He’s been unable to make an impact, however, with injuries and a lack of form leading to an underwhelming first season. Delap would find the back of the net just twice with Chelsea signing Joao Pedro, which pushed the Englishman down the pecking order.
Delap now faces a battle to force his way back into contention, even if a new man in the dugout will mean every player starts a fresh. Alonso could yet seek to add his own players in the final third, but former Chelsea man Andy Townsend thinks the ex-Ipswich man would be best served moving on.
He told OLBG: “Liam at Chelsea, when compared to Ipswich, he’s always looked a little inhibited. Is it the way the team plays, or is it just being a higher-profile player now at a bigger club?
“Whenever he’s come on as a sub, he’s rarely had an impact. I’ve very rarely seen anything where I’ve thought, ‘Wow, now I can see what Chelsea have invested in.’ I just haven’t seen anything from him yet, to be honest. But that happens, he’s not the first striker to go to a club where it doesn’t work out.
Townsend also said: “He’s looked like a Championship player trying to cut it at a top Premier League team and he’s looked awkward and it hasn’t just looked like it’s the right sort of fit.”
View 2 ImagesXabi Alonso will have several big calls to make in his first summer at Chelsea(Image: Getty)
Everton have been cited as an ideal destination for Delap as they seek to bolster their own frontline. That could be a move that allows the England U21 frontman to rediscover his best football with his move to west London not showing any promise.
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“Everton are desperate for a striker,” said Townsend. “And if he goes in there and starts bashing in a few goals and starts looking like he’s aggressive they’ll love him there for that. I think that’s the Liam Delap that we all expected to see, but there’s been no signs of that at all at Chelsea.”
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