The final medical test is left. Liam Delap (22, Ipswich Town) is about to wear a Chelsea jersey.

The Athletic reported on the 2nd (Korea time) that "Chelsea has reached an agreement with Delap on personal terms. He is set to join Chelsea from Ipswich on the condition of completing the medical test and will sign a contract valid until 2031."

The media reported, "Delap chose Stamford Bridge (Chelsea's home ground) as his next destination among several notable options. A transaction activating a buyout clause of £30 million (about 55.8 billion won) between the two clubs has already been completed. Chelsea plans to finalize the transfer process after conducting Delap's medical test on Monday."

This transfer occurred as Ipswich fell back to the Championship (2nd division). The Athletic explained, "Chelsea fulfilled Delap's activated buyout clause as Ipswich was relegated from the Premier League."

Born in 2003, Delap is a forward from England. He is the son of Rory Delap, known as the 'human cannonball' who previously played for Stoke City, and he developed expectations while growing up in the Manchester City youth team. Delap also made his professional debut wearing a Manchester City jersey in the 2020-2021 season, but he struggled to find playing opportunities among prestigious star players, making only six appearances.

Delap’s choice was a loan. He showcased an aggressive breakthrough and excellent physicality, playing in the first half of the 2022-2023 season with Stoke in the Championship (2nd division) and then performing with Preston North End in the second half. Last season, he made his mark at Hull City, scoring 8 goals in 31 league matches.

Nevertheless, there was no place for Delap at Manchester City. While Julián Álvarez left for Atlético Madrid, Erling Haaland remains leading the front line. No matter how much Delap excelled in the England youth national teams, there seemed to be no easy way for him to break through.

Ultimately, Delap chose to leave Manchester City and accepted Ipswich's call after they were promoted to the Premier League. He joined Ipswich for a transfer fee of £15 million (about 27.9 billion won), where he spread his wings further in the Premier League. Although he could not prevent his team from being relegated, he proved his talent by scoring 12 goals and providing 2 assists in 37 matches.

As Delap's buyout clause was activated, there was intense interest. Top clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Tottenham closely monitored Delap as they needed to strengthen their attacking lineup.

There were also stories suggesting that his former team Manchester City could utilize a buyback clause to re-sign him, but ultimately it did not happen. Manchester City has re-signed Haaland for a 10-year contract this season and, having signed Omar Marmoush last January, did not pursue Delap's re-acquisition.

As a result, Delap chose Chelsea among various offers. In fact, he appeared closest to transferring to Manchester United, with reports indicating he was on the verge of finalizing personal terms.

However, the situation changed at the last minute. Manchester United lost to Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League final, finishing as runners-up, which also meant missing out on next season's UEFA Champions League (UCL). In contrast, Chelsea secured the 4th place in the Premier League after fierce competition, earning a UCL ticket, and even won the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Eventually, Delap also changed his mind. The connection with coach Enzo Maresca, who was his mentor during his time at Manchester City, and his former youth teammate Cole Palmer reportedly influenced his decision to commit to Chelsea. Now, Delap is expected to compete with Nicolas Jackson for the main striker position from next season.

Manchester City will also benefit from Delap's transfer. It is known that they will receive 20% of the revenue earned by Ipswich. A year ago, Ipswich paid Manchester City £20 million to acquire Delap, and this time they will receive £30 million for the buyout transfer fee, meaning Manchester City will earn £2 million (about 3.7 billion won).

Stan Collymore, who played as a forward for clubs like Liverpool and Aston Villa, supported Delap's decision, stating through 'CaughtOffside,' "Choosing Chelsea over Manchester United or Newcastle is a natural choice. Moreover, Delap already knows people like Maresca and Palmer. Chelsea provides a better environment for adaptation compared to Manchester United."

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