It is very clear that BlueCo have made plenty of recruitment mistakes over their time at Chelsea. Last summer, they were in a great position to make some quality signings and take this project to the next level. Instead, they stuck to signing highly-rated youngsters. It has not paid off.
Joao Pedro has been the only success story. The jury is still out when it comes to Jorrel Hato and Alejandro Garnacho. If you ask me, they have had their moments but have not met expectations yet. On the other hand, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens look like they are headed nowhere at Stamford Bridge.
In the past, we have seen that BlueCo can be swift at times when it comes to rectifying mistakes. The likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Joao Felix lasted only a year at Chelsea. Facundo Buonanotte’s loan spell was cut short in the middle of the season. Could one of their summer signings be headed for the exit door at the end of the campaign?
According to talkSPORT, Liam Delap is a potential summer target for Newcastle United. Chelsea are likely to be open to offers for the English striker.
Chelsea likely to be open to offers for Delap amid Newcastle United interest
When Chelsea signed Delap for £30 million in the summer, it was widely considered to be a bargain. He was brought in after a solid season with Ipswich Town. And he was being reunited with Enzo Maresca, who had coached him in the Manchester City academy and helped the Englishman score goals consistently.
Last season, against all other Premier League strikers, Delap was first in duels won, dribbles per 100 touches, ball carrying frequency and progressive action rate. That was while playing for an Ipswich Town side that got relegated.
On paper, it had looked like the perfect recipe for success. Reality has proven to be different though. Delap has only scored one goal in the Premier League for Chelsea and three across all competitions since joining the club. That is nowhere near good enough.
So, it is not hard to imagine why Chelsea might consider parting with him already. If he continues to perform like this, his transfer value will plunge further. On the other hand, the Blues are also working under strict financial constraints and need to sanction exits in order to make signings of their own.
Could Delap be a good signing for Newcastle United?
Delap has not been able to perform for Chelsea, but that does not mean that he would fail at Newcastle United as well. On the contrary, it might be quite the opposite.
Delap is the kind of striker who thrives when he has some space to run into. At Chelsea, he is mostly up against low blocks and he does not get that kind of room. The picture might look a lot different at Newcastle United.
Also, the report describes Delap as being ‘£40m-rated’. If Chelsea can get a profit out of the striker’s exit, after the season that he has had, it will be one of the most impressive feats of the BlueCo era.
