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Chelsea’s uncapped £30million star named as Harry Kane’s England No.9 successor due to one key reason
Liam Delap is ‘ready to deliver’ for Chelsea – and the England No.9 shirt is around the corner, according to the man who helped ignite his career. The 22-year-old followed Harry Kane’s pathway in earning his spurs on loan in the EFL before becoming a Premier League superstar. Delap has already opened his account for Chelsea at the Club World CupGetty The striker is one of many former Manchester City youth players to have broken through after leaving the club after Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Jamie Gittens, Jeremie Frimpong, and Romeo Lavia. Delap, the son of former Stoke player Rory Delap, made two Premier League outings under Pep Guardiola before heading out on loan. Like Kane, the England Under-21 international struggled at first, enduring unsuccessful stints at his father’s old team and Preston. However, Delap made it third time lucky after joining Hull City on loan in the 2023/24 season, scoring eight goals in 32 games. Tan Kesler, the former Tigers vice-chairman, exclusively told talkSPORT.com: “He was a fantastic player and a great player, great person. “He was a joy to have in the locker room and in the club. He was always positive. And we were really pleased to have him on with us. “He obviously needed some sort of confidence from our side as a club and management, but he also needed tactical awareness and a little bit of understanding of the game on the elite level as well. “Outside of that, he was amazing. He was just a pure specimen, an athlete. “He looked after himself, and he wanted to score all the time, and he wanted the ball all the time in the pressure moments. “So it was an honour to have him with us, and I knew his journey would continue to progress. How he arrived at Chelsea, for me, it’s not surprising.” Kane was only 17 when he went to Leyton OrientGetty Images - Getty The England captain has rarely had serious competition for the No.9 shirtAFP Delap’s three-month absence at the start of 2024 was one of the key reasons the Tigers missed out on the Championship play-offs under former boss Liam Rosenior. The forward only returned in the final month of the campaign following a severe knee injury, and joined Ipswich last summer. 12 months later, Delap found himself in high demand again after an impressive season for relegated Ipswich, scoring 12 goals in 37 games. The striker had numerous suitors due to his £30million release clause, but chose Stamford Bridge and has hit the ground running. Delap’s first goal for Chelsea helped seal their spot in the Club World Cup last-16, the prize money for which has already paid off his transfer fee at £36.5m. Prior to his Blues move, he had been earmarked to be Lee Carsley‘s first-choice No.9 for the Young Lions’ successful defence of their U21 title last month, an England age group he made his debut at during his Hull loan. Delap had an impressive campaign for goal-shy Ipswich But Hull gave Delap the platform to show his worth outside of City’s academyGetty Delap, who has wasted little time on making Chelsea’s No.9 shirt his own, has now been backed to take the same shirt for his country. Turkish businessman Kesler added: “I would love to see him at some point wearing the number nine jersey for the England national team. And I strongly believe in that. “I do appreciate everything that he had done for us. “I think it was quite a little bit of a heartbreak for me because he had a minor injury and delay during our season, and things could have been really different if he had stayed with us another month healthy. “But it is what it is. It’s part of the football. But again, he was a fantastic player. He was a top-level player and elite with a mindset, coming from a football family. “His father and his family were always supportive of him. So it was a joy to have him, actually.” Delap’s impressive performances at Hull saw Ipswich swoop for his servicesGetty A year later, Chelsea have made the striker their new No.9Getty Chelsea's last ten No.9s 2022-23 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – three goals in 21 appearances 2021-22 – Romelu Lukaku – 15 goals in 59 appearances 2019-21 – Tammy Abraham – 30 goals in 82 appearances 2018-19 – Gonzalo Higuain – five goals in 18 appearances 2017-18 – Alvaro Morata – 24 goals in 72 appearances 2015-16 – Radamel Falcao – one goal in 12 appearances 2011-15 – Fernando Torres – 45 goals in 172 appearances 2008-10 – Franco Di Santo – 0 goals in 16 appearances 2007-08 – Steve Sidwell – one goal in 25 appearances 2006-07 – Khalid Boulahrouz – 0 goals in 23 appearances Delap has already demonstrated that mindset at Chelsea, having admitted he is relishing the pressure of wearing the infamous No.9 shirt. Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain and Romelu Lukaku all failed to live up to expectations wearing the classic striker digits at Chelsea, while former Bl
Liam Delap is ‘ready to deliver’ for Chelsea – and the England No.9 shirt is around the corner, according to the man who helped ignite his career.
The 22-year-old followed Harry Kane’s pathway in earning his spurs on loan in the EFL before becoming a Premier League superstar.
The striker is one of many former Manchester City youth players to have broken through after leaving the club after Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Jamie Gittens, Jeremie Frimpong, and Romeo Lavia.
Delap, the son of former Stoke player Rory Delap, made two Premier League outings under Pep Guardiola before heading out on loan.
Like Kane, the England Under-21 international struggled at first, enduring unsuccessful stints at his father’s old team and Preston.
However, Delap made it third time lucky after joining Hull City on loan in the 2023/24 season, scoring eight goals in 32 games.
Tan Kesler, the former Tigers vice-chairman, exclusively told talkSPORT.com: “He was a fantastic player and a great player, great person.
“He was a joy to have in the locker room and in the club. He was always positive. And we were really pleased to have him on with us.
“He obviously needed some sort of confidence from our side as a club and management, but he also needed tactical awareness and a little bit of understanding of the game on the elite level as well.
“Outside of that, he was amazing. He was just a pure specimen, an athlete.
“He looked after himself, and he wanted to score all the time, and he wanted the ball all the time in the pressure moments.
“So it was an honour to have him with us, and I knew his journey would continue to progress. How he arrived at Chelsea, for me, it’s not surprising.”
Delap’s three-month absence at the start of 2024 was one of the key reasons the Tigers missed out on the Championship play-offs under former boss Liam Rosenior.
The forward only returned in the final month of the campaign following a severe knee injury, and joined Ipswich last summer.
12 months later, Delap found himself in high demand again after an impressive season for relegated Ipswich, scoring 12 goals in 37 games.
The striker had numerous suitors due to his £30million release clause, but chose Stamford Bridge and has hit the ground running.
Delap’s first goal for Chelsea helped seal their spot in the Club World Cup last-16, the prize money for which has already paid off his transfer fee at £36.5m.
Prior to his Blues move, he had been earmarked to be Lee Carsley‘s first-choice No.9 for the Young Lions’ successful defence of their U21 title last month, an England age group he made his debut at during his Hull loan.
Delap, who has wasted little time on making Chelsea’s No.9 shirt his own, has now been backed to take the same shirt for his country.
Turkish businessman Kesler added: “I would love to see him at some point wearing the number nine jersey for the England national team. And I strongly believe in that.
“I do appreciate everything that he had done for us.
“I think it was quite a little bit of a heartbreak for me because he had a minor injury and delay during our season, and things could have been really different if he had stayed with us another month healthy.
“But it is what it is. It’s part of the football. But again, he was a fantastic player. He was a top-level player and elite with a mindset, coming from a football family.
“His father and his family were always supportive of him. So it was a joy to have him, actually.”
Chelsea's last ten No.9s
2022-23 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – three goals in 21 appearances
2021-22 – Romelu Lukaku – 15 goals in 59 appearances
2019-21 – Tammy Abraham – 30 goals in 82 appearances
2018-19 – Gonzalo Higuain – five goals in 18 appearances
2017-18 – Alvaro Morata – 24 goals in 72 appearances
2015-16 – Radamel Falcao – one goal in 12 appearances
2011-15 – Fernando Torres – 45 goals in 172 appearances
2008-10 – Franco Di Santo – 0 goals in 16 appearances
2007-08 – Steve Sidwell – one goal in 25 appearances
2006-07 – Khalid Boulahrouz – 0 goals in 23 appearances
Delap has already demonstrated that mindset at Chelsea, having admitted he is relishing the pressure of wearing the infamous No.9 shirt.
Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain and Romelu Lukaku all failed to live up to expectations wearing the classic striker digits at Chelsea, while former Blues manager and now England boss Thomas Tuchel revealed ‘nobody wants to touch the number nine‘ back in August 2022.
That mentality is exactly what separated Delap from other youngsters that Hull signed during Kesler’s tenure.
He told talkSPORT: “Yeah, I think going back when we took him, he was struggling to find his role in different championship clubs.
“But we’ve seen him on the elite level, the way we played, he could shine. So we kind of resonated with his ability.
“But he also bought into the project. That’s definitely a definition for him that may separate it from the other players who have challenges at a high level.
“He will have some challenges. He will have competition. He joined a massive club. But I think he’s ready. I think he’s ready to deliver.”
Tan, who left Hull in October, was appointed CEO, vice-president and minority shareholder at Polish top-flight side Pogon Szczecin in March.
He rubber-stamped his standing in the world of football governance with his recent appointment to the Polish board, having held a similar role on the EFL board as the Championship’s representative last summer.
With that in mind, could Tan be tempted back to English football in the future?
“I mean, I love the club. I love Pogon. I love the fans,” Tan told talkSPORT. “It’s an amazing environment in here where we’re selling out every game, so it’s quite exciting.
“I think my journey started here very early, but at some point in England, I do believe that there’s something that I need to complete that I left.
“And therefore, to give you my honest opinion, I always have my heart in England at some point, whether it’s with the new ownership, whether it’s just with a new project or our own investment.
“I look forward, but at the same time, this is just a longer discussion to be made.
“Currently, I’m really fighting hard and spending all my effort and time for our club to be successful and sustainable.”
