Manchester United headed into the summer transfer window hoping to make Liam Delap one of their first signings.
On the very first day of the summer window, Manchester United confirmed the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolves, but attention very quickly turned elsewhere.
A striker is undeniably a top priority this summer and Liam Delap was United’s top target. A £30m relegation clause in Liam Delap’s contract meant a deal was realistic, but the Red Devils were far from the only interested club.
Eventually, United lost out on Delap to Chelsea, with the 22-year-old choosing to reunite with his former manager Enzo Maresca.
United are yet to recover from Delap’s snub with Ineos still scouring the market for a new striker.
Liam Delap opens up on rejecting Man United move
United were ready to make Delap a key player in Ruben Amorim’s rebuild at Old Trafford, but clearly the project wasn’t appealing enough to the young striker.
It seems United won’t be too upset at missing out after Delap’s disaster Chelsea debut, but it will still concern club chiefs at Old Trafford that they weren’t able to convince a top target to join.
Speaking to The Athletic, Delap has explained exactly why he chose to join Chelsea, and it confirms United’s worst fears.
“It was a nice position to be in, but also there are a lot of decisions you have to make. 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,” Delap said.
“There are so many factors that go into it,” Delap continued. “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.”
There are five words in particular that will concern Ineos – “how they see the future”. It confirms that Delap viewed Chelsea’s project as more exciting and ambitious than United’s.
Man United must move on from Liam Delap quickly
There is huge pressure on Amorim to hit the ground running in 2025/26 and United’s first fixture against Arsenal means he is in for a tough start.
Amorim has set strict deadlines for pre-season to make sure players are at peak fitness levels, and the Portuguese head coach wants new signings to arrive in time for the pre-season tour of the United States.
Missing out on Delap put a spanner in the transfer plans at Old Trafford, but it is clear that a new striker is still needed and there is no time to waste.
READ MORE: Ineos can strike Liam Delap revenge if Man Utd beat Chelsea to sign 22-goal superstar
Viktor Gyokeres is open to joining United but his ongoing dispute with Sporting and his preference to join Arsenal makes a move complicated.
Hugo Ekitike is admired by United and could be the next best option, but the £85m price tag set by Eintracht Frankfurt is steep.
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