Chelsea have had their fair share of problems in front of goal lately. That is not a secret. The Blues might have won against Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-finals, but Calum McFarlane’s side did score just once. In the Premier League, they are scoreless in their last five outings, losing all of them. So, things need to improve drastically.
Nicolas Jackson will be returning in the summer after a season-long loan spell at Bayern Munich as the Bavarians won’t be taking up the option to buy in the deal. It is unclear whether the Senegalese international is open to continuing at Stamford Bridge or wants a move elsewhere. Of course, Chelsea might have their own plans as well.
On the other hand, Chelsea already have a deal in place with Emmanuel Emegha, who will join from Strasbourg. The Dutch international striker has struggled with injuries throughout the season though and appeared just 16 times. It looks like he will go down as another injury-prone signing of the BlueCo era.
Liam Delap’s situation is an interesting one as well. He has been linked with an exit after a poor debut campaign for the Blues, with Newcastle United rumoured to hold interest in signing him this summer. But what does the English striker want?
Liam Delap’s stance on leaving Chelsea this summer
Delap was signed from Chelsea last summer. The Blues activated a £30 million clause after Ipswich Town were relegated.
Back then, it was viewed as a bargain deal and potentially one of the signings of the summer. Delap had been excellent for Ipswich Town even though they were relegated. Unfortunately, he has not made the adjustment to Chelsea, scoring just three times in 43 appearances.
According to The Telegraph, Delap wants to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea. The striker still believes he can make his move a success.
What does the future hold for Delap after just three goals this season?
It would be an understatement to say that Delap needs to be more clinical. Just three goals, even as the backup striker, is nowhere near good enough.
Also, he is one of the players Chelsea could actually move for a transfer profit, or at least recoup their outlay. If Delap does move, there are expected to be suitors for his signature.
The thing is, Delap could actually work in the right system. At Ipswich Town, he thrived when given space to run behind the opposition defence. But at Chelsea, he often finds himself playing against low-blocks. So, it might not have been the right stylistic fit to begin with.
Ultimately, a lot could depend on the next manager. But it is good to see someone wanting to stay amid all these rumours of exits and unhappiness.
