Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Chelsea’s interest in Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, with the former Manchester City talent impressing in the Premier League this season.

Despite Ipswich’s struggles in the relegation zone, the 21-year-old has stood out, catching the eye of Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

Ahead of Chelsea’s match against Ipswich on Monday, December 30, Maresca was full of praise for the young striker, whom he coached during his time as Manchester City’s under-21 manager. Delap excelled under Maresca, scoring 27 goals and providing six assists in 22 matches.

Speaking about Delap, Maresca shared his admiration for the forward’s work ethic and potential, as he said:

“Liam is a fantastic player, and also for his age. I think we spent one year together and he scored [about] 22 to 24 goals. He is a very good striker. England have many good players, many good strikers [but] he’s working hard off the ball and on the ball, understands the game and can score goals. I think he can be an important player for England.”

Romano, meanwhile, highlighted Chelsea’s internal interest in Delap, though he indicated that a January transfer is unlikely. The Italian journalist said:

“We should not underestimate what Enzo Maresca said on Liam Delap. Delap is a former Manchester City player, he used to work with Enzo Maresca – he knows him well. So the feeling is very positive. Maresca said how good Delap is in his opinion and some very good words.”

Romano added that while a move this winter appears improbable, Delap could be a target for Chelsea in the summer transfer window:

“So he’s considered a very good player internally at Chelsea. Now, for January he looks unlikely to find a solution for Delap to leave Ipswich in this situation, so he could be a name to watch in the summer.”