Liam Delap has broken his silence to explain why he chose to sign for Chelsea this summer, despite intense interest from Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United.
Manchester United’s initial summer transfer plan hinged on bringing in two quick signings to help spur on the club’s rebuild of Rúben Amorim’s squad.
The club were looking to bring in Premier League duo Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap on the opening day of the transfer window, activating their respective £62.5 million and £30 million release clauses.
Although the Cunha transfer was agreed at the beginning of the month and finalised two weeks later, United’s efforts to sign Delap were in vain after the English striker opted to sign for Chelsea instead.
United were initially confident in securing Delap despite interest from Chelsea, Newcastle, and Everton; however, after failing to secure European football next season, their chances were hurt.
Delap breaks silence on choosing Chelsea over United
With Delap signing for Chelsea earlier this month, he joined the club for the Club World Cup in the USA, where he sat down with the media to discuss his first few weeks at the club.
“It was a nice position to be in, but also there are a lot of decisions you have to make,” Delap explained when asked how it felt to be courted by so many clubs. “You never know if it is going to be the right decision. You’ve just got to go with your gut and hopefully it works out.”
Speaking on how he decided to join Chelsea over other teams, such as United, Delap continued by explaining the pull of playing under Enzo Maresca, with whom he worked with in Manchester City’s Academy, in a formation he knew, was a key factor.
If he had joined United, he would have been playing in Amorim’s more unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation, with two inside forwards and two wing-backs supplying him.
“There are so many factors that go into it,” Delap explains. “I’ve got a good relationship with the manager. I know how he plays. I’ve played in this system before. I know a lot of the players here and the project of the club, how they see the future. That’s what excited me.”
United will undoubtedly keep tabs on Chelsea’s top talents
While Delap’s decision to join Chelsea has sent United’s striker hunt into a bit of a spin, there is little doubt that the club will continue to keep an eye on his progress at Stamford Bridge.
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The club will also continue to monitor his new Chelsea teammate and talisman, Cole Palmer, who United tried to sign when he was 16 years old, and is well known to be a boyhood United fan.
Speaking further, Delap was asked how much influence Palmer, whom Delap had played alongside at City, had in his decision.
“I don’t like too much information,” he said. “Ultimately, it was my decision, so I kind of just wanted my head to be clear. I spoke to him a little bit, asked him what I needed to ask him. He told me what I needed to know.”
Quotes come via The Athletic.
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