Liam Delap will turn out to be “an vital participant for England”, so says Chelsea supervisor Enzo Maresca, who coached the striker in Manchester Metropolis’s academy.
Maresca and Delap meet once more at Portman Street on Monday as Chelsea journey to face struggling Ipswich City within the Premier League.
The 21-year-old, son of former Stoke Metropolis man Rory Delap, has scored six instances in 17 top-flight appearances since leaving Metropolis for Ipswich in a deal price as much as £20million.
Chelsea should deal with Delap’s bustling tempo and physicality after they face Kieran McKenna’s facet, and Maresca expects his former ahead to shine for the nationwide crew sooner or later.
Tempo, energy, talent, end.
Liam Delap’s second of the afternoon. #IPSAVL pic.twitter.com/HFT3jWSBmO
— IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) September 29, 2024
“Liam is a unbelievable participant, and likewise for his age,” mentioned Maresca. “I believe we spent one yr collectively and he scored [about] 22 to 24 objectives. He’s an excellent striker.
“England have many good gamers, many good strikers [but] he’s working laborious off the ball and on the ball, understands the sport and might rating objectives. I believe he might be an vital participant for England.”
Delap scored 35 objectives in 36 video games for Metropolis’s Underneath-21s earlier than spending time on mortgage at Championship sides Stoke Metropolis, Preston North Finish and Hull Metropolis, the latter the place he impressed final season.
The previous Man Metropolis striker has appeared at all ages grade for England, scoring twice in 10 video games for the under-21s, however is but to make his senior debut for the Three Lions.