'Chelsea project excited me' - Delap on why he joined Blues

Liam Delap was 1 of this summer's most-wanted strikers.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals successful 37 Premier League games for Ipswich, pinch his tantalising £30m merchandise clause attracting galore suitors aft they were relegated backmost to nan Championship.

He was fixed support to speak to clubs successful May, pinch Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest each showing superior liking while Manchester City besides held a buy-back action connected their erstwhile player.

But it was Chelsea who won nan title for his signature and, speaking earlier nan Blues' last Club World Cup group crippled against ES Tunis connected Wednesday, Delap has revealed why - including nan propulsion of Europe and rejoining immoderate acquainted faces.

"You ne'er cognize if it is going to beryllium nan correct determination but you've conscionable sewage to spell pinch your gut and dream it useful out," he said. "You've sewage to return your time. I took a fewer days to speak to group and determine my future."

One of those group he consulted was Chelsea's prima attacker Cole Palmer, who he first played pinch astatine Manchester City astatine nan property of 15.

Delap added: "I asked him what I needed to inquire him, he told maine what I needed to know. But I don't for illustration excessively overmuch information. Ultimately it was my determination truthful I benignant of conscionable want my caput to beryllium clear."

Palmer has go nan poster boy for Chelsea aft 2 sensational seasons and Delap was asked if he hopes to emulate his erstwhile academy team-mate.

"Yeah, of course, that's nan goal," he said. "I deliberation we some had akin positions and he's gone and smashed it truthful hopefully I tin also."

Reports successful May suggested Manchester United were beforehand runners to motion Delap but their Europa League last conclusion by Tottenham, and a mediocre convention campaign, near them without European shot adjacent play - pinch Chelsea's Champions League qualification playing a portion successful Delap's decision.

"It wasn't nan beryllium each and extremity each because I was besides looking towards early seasons but besides it helps," he said.

The boy of erstwhile Stoke City and Derby County midfielder Rory Delap launched his profession astatine Manchester City nether now Chelsea head Maresca. He scored 20 goals and won nan PL2 subordinate of nan play - arsenic he fired nan Italian's under-21s squad to nan title successful 2020-21.

"I've sewage a bully narration pinch nan manager," he said of Maresca. "I cognize really he plays. I've played successful this strategy before. It's very akin now but pinch small tweaks. I cognize a batch of nan players present and nan task of nan club, really they spot nan future. That's what excited me."

Maresca has antecedently said it was Delap's determination to return nan club's alleged "cursed" number 9 shirt.

When asked whether he believes successful nan curse, which counts Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao and Fernando Torres among its expected victims, Delap replied: "No, I'm not that type of person.

"It's thing that group talk astir but it doesn't mean thing to me. It's thing that's related to strikers truthful I chose it."

Maresca said earlier nan Club World Cup he has nary uncertainty that Delap will go "England's number nine".

Yet, Delap's move forced him into a nine versus state dilemma: either play successful nan Club World Cup pinch Chelsea, aliases nan Under-21s European Championship pinch England.

"I had my sights group connected nan Euros each play and I was really looking guardant to that," he said. "But I signed present and they wanted maine to beryllium here. I want to beryllium present arsenic well.

"I request to get to cognize everyone truthful that's why I'm here.

"I'm pinch nan boys each nan time, it helps maine settee successful really accelerated and we tin hole and activity connected things that we want to usage successful nan play to come."

England head Thomas Tuchel has already been to watch Harry Kane play for Bayern Munich and could travel to spot Delap statement up for Chelsea against ES Tunis, aliases successful nan knockout shape against perchance Bayern Munich and past Paris St-Germain.

Alternative striker Nicolas Jackson is suspended aft being sent disconnected successful nan 3-1 conclusion by Flamengo but Delap said: "I was correct successful beforehand of it erstwhile it happened. It was truthful unlucky. He has evidently not meant to do it; these things hap successful shot and I americium judge he will get complete it."

Jackson faced dense disapproval from erstwhile Chelsea midfielder-turned pundit John Obi Mikel, which serves arsenic an illustration of nan unit cooker Delap himself is stepping into, but he insists: "I don't really for illustration to look astatine everything from nan outside.

"I americium astatine a large nine now and I person astir apt not had that amount, but my mind is beardown capable to not fto it impact me."