Manchester City striker Liam Delap is set to sign for newly promoted Ipswich Town as per reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano. The 21-year-old enjoyed a fairly successful loan spell at Hull City last season, scoring eight goals in 26 starts in the Championship. Delap will move to Ipswich for a reported fee of £15 million with an additional £5 million in add-ons. City have also included a 20% sell-on clause and a buy back clause in the deal.
Son of former professional footballer Rory Delap, the striker was said to be strongly considering his future at the Etihad with Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez ahead of him in the pecking order for the lone striker position. Having enjoyed three successive loan spells at Championship clubs, Delap is seeking regular game time in top-flight football.
Delap was part of Derby County’s academy before making a switch to Man City in 2019 as a 16-year-old. He impressed for City’s youth ranks, scoring 24 goals in 20 games for the U23 team in the Premier League 2. He made his debut for the senior team in September 2020, scoring against Bournemouth in an EFL Cup tie.
The striker is contracted with the Citizens until 2026 and has made six appearances for the Man City first team, including his Premier League debut against Leicester City and UEFA Champions League debut against Sporting Clube de Portugal.
There was said to be considerable interest in Delap. Hull City were rumoured to be interested in re-signing their former loanee with newly promoted Southampton also considering him a solid option. From Serie A, Fiorentina and Bologna were also touted as potential destinations for the 21-year-old.
City will get a fee of £20 million for the striker which is a sensible deal for the club. This is a good fee for an academy graduate, allowing the club to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules and reinvest in the squad. Additionally, the inclusion of the sell-on clause and buy-back clause allows City to make additional profit in the future or buy back Delap at a decent price in case the club deems him good enough to make an impact for them in the first team.
