Liam Delap Joins Chelsea on Long-Term Deal

Chelsea have signed 22-year-old striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town on a contract until 2031. Delap scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League appearances during the 2024/25 season and was shortlisted for the Young Player of the Year award. A former Manchester City prospect, he previously played under Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

For the 2025/26 season, Chelsea have secured the signing of promising young striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town, with the 22-year-old penning a contract until 2031. Delap, an England Under-21 international, impressed in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, netting 12 goals in 37 appearances for newly-promoted Ipswich, earning a nomination for the Young Player of the Year award.

Delap began his footballing journey at Derby County before joining Manchester City in 2019. He shone in City’s youth ranks, scoring 24 goals in just 20 Premier League 2 games and debuting for the senior team in the League Cup. Under then-City development coach and now Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, Delap developed rapidly. He later had loan stints at Stoke City, Preston North End, and Hull City, where he scored eight goals in the 2023/24 season before moving to Ipswich.

Delap expressed excitement about Chelsea’s direction and sees the club as the ideal place for his growth. “I understand the stature of this club… I hope to achieve amazing things here,” he stated. His arrival adds youthful firepower to Chelsea’s attack as the club continues to build under Maresca's leadership. Delap has also represented England extensively at youth level, most recently for the U21s in March.