Delap, who used to play for Ipswich Town, has officially moved to Chelsea, a team that aims high in both local and European tournaments. This transfer was confirmed by several trustworthy sources, such as Chelsea’s official website and big sports news outlets like ESPN, Sky Sports, and BBC Sport.
The transfer fee is said to be £30m, with £20m paid right away and the rest in payments over time, which is common in today’s football transfers. The move happened because a £30m release clause in Delap’s contract with Ipswich was activated when the team got relegated from the Premier League. This clause shows that Ipswich had a smart plan to make sure they could benefit financially in the future, including a sell-on clause that gives Manchester City, Delap’s old club, 20% of the transfer fee.
🚨🔵 OFFICIAL: Liam Delap joins Chelsea on £30m deal from Ipswich Town.
Contract until June 2031 as Delap wanted and picked Chelsea over +6 proposals this summer. pic.twitter.com/aWkEG6pS90
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2025
Delap has signed a six-year deal with Chelsea, which means he will be with the team until 2031. This long-term agreement shows that Chelsea believes in his potential to become an important player. He has been given the No.9 jersey, which is a big deal because it’s usually worn by the main striker, showing that they have high hopes for what he can do.
Last season, Delap scored 12 goals in 37 games in the Premier League while playing for Ipswich, proving that he can score and making Chelsea’s decision to sign him look smart. His stats suggest he could really help Chelsea’s offense, especially when playing with teammates like Cole Palmer, who he knows from their time together in Manchester City’s youth team.
Liam Delap moving to Chelsea is a smart move for the team, looking to boost their offense with a young and skilled striker. His play from last season, along with a long contract, and the chance to fit into Chelsea’s team point to a bright future, both for the club and maybe even for the national team, even though he couldn’t participate in the U21s Euros because of scheduling issues.