Liam Delap’s nightmare start at Chelsea continues after he snubbed a transfer to Man Utd in the summer. The forward was sent off in their 4-3 victory over Wolves in the Carabao Cup, which was his first game returning to the squad after a hamstring injury.
During the summer, it was well-documented that Liam Delap was a priority transfer target in the striker position for INEOS. Although this was not too popular with the fanbase, it sparked outrage when Delap turned United down in favour of a move to Stamford Bridge.
Delap left Ipswich Town after they were relegated, and it is believed he chose Chelsea due to Champions League football and his desire to play for England.
It was revealed that there was a release clause in Delap’s Ipswich contract, which would allow him to leave the club for a fee of £30 million due to their relegation from the Premier League.
This sparked interest in the forward, particularly from senior figures at United, who believed they could persuade the striker to join Old Trafford due to a good relationship between Delap and United’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox, from their time together at rivals Manchester City.
United were left shocked and were forced to move on to other targets, such as Viktor Gyökeres, Ollie Watkins, and Hugo Ekitike. However, United signed a different striker later in the window, who might turn out to be the best one for them.
After rumours of a transfer to Arsenal faded, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko snubbed a move to Newcastle to sign for Man Utd. This went down well with the fans and completed Utd’s new look attacking trio.
It is no secret that Utd’s Head of Recruitment, Christopher Vivell, is a massive fan of Sesko from their days with the Red Bull group. The Slovenian has made a positive start.
At just 22 years old, it can be challenging to lead the line for the biggest club in the country, but Sesko has still managed to score twice already. He seems to be settling into the team well and is highly thought of around Carrington, both on and off the pitch.
Delap’s Chelsea disaster continues
After defeating Wolves at the Molineux on Wednesday, Chelsea advanced to the Quarter-Finals of the Carabao Cup. Despite the positive result, a ‘stupid’ red card for Liam Delap on his return has overshadowed the performance and has left Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca frustrated.
Delap’s Chelsea career has been disappointing so far, with him being the second choice to Joao Pedro and suffering a hamstring injury which kept him sidelined for nearly two months. On his return to action, Delap’s rash and aggressive nature led to two yellow cards just seven minutes apart.
In reaction to this, Enzo Maresca said, “[it was] absolutely deserved. It was a stupid foul. We can avoid that. I completely support the red card.”
He also went on to say, “It is embarrassing when it is a red card like today. It is embarrassing two cards in seven minutes, both we can avoid.”
Maresca also claimed he tried to warn Delap after the first yellow card, but “Liam is a player inside the pitch, playing the game for himself, and he struggles to listen to things around him.”
Would Liam Delap have suited Man United? Old Trafford has seen its fair share of bullish centre forwards over the years, but Delap’s actions on Wednesday could be a worrying sign for the future. Ultimately, I don’t think many Utd fans wish he was leading the line for the Reds instead of Benjamin Sesko.
Who’s the better signing, Delap or Sesko?
The two strikers both came off the back of impressive seasons with their respective clubs. Sesko managed 21 goals in all competitions for RB Leipzig, whereas Delap scored 12 for Ipswich Town.
Both aged 22, the pair have long careers ahead of them and are exciting talents for the future. At the moment, it would seem that Sesko is the better signing but you cannot write off Delap. Despite his mistakes against Wolves, he brings a different profile of striker to Chelsea and he has proved he can score goals in the top flight.
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The transfer fees are incomparable. Delap’s release clause cost Chelsea just £30 million, whereas Sesko cost Utd £75 million. This is a significant difference, but whilst Sesko has not yet set the world alight, he has shown his quality and looks like one for the future.
His aerial presence and strong frame make him a challenge for defenders, and his neat footwork and finishing is coming together. By all accounts, his mentality is top class, and he has really embraced the move to Manchester.
Sesko will be helped by the experience he finds beside him. The duo of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo have settled into life at Old Trafford seamlessly, providing goals and attacking quality. The attack was revolutionised in the summer, and Sesko was seen as the ideal centre forward for Ruben Amorim’s project.
Wearing the No. 30, the Slovenian has shown glimpses of what to expect in the future. Utd fans are rightly excited, and the Stretford End could soon have a new superstar striker.
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