Sky Sports Journalist Confirms Manchester United Close To £30m Striker Deal

EPL Index

·14 May 2025

Sky Sports Journalist Confirms Manchester United Close To £30m Striker Deal

Delap emerges as key striker target in United rebuild

Manchester United are edging closer to landing Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap in what could be the first major signing of a crucial summer rebuild at Old Trafford.

Despite reaching the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, United’s season has largely been disappointing. With goals proving hard to come by, a long-term solution up front is now the club’s priority. And it appears they have identified their man in Delap — a 22-year-old talent who has impressed in the Championship.

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According to TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Fraser Fletcher, Delap tops the club’s striker shortlist. Sources confirm that the former Manchester City academy graduate has a £30million release clause in his contract, which United are prepared to trigger.

United outpace Chelsea in Delap pursuit

Chelsea were also monitoring Delap, but the Stamford Bridge club have now turned their attention to RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. That decision leaves United in pole position to land Delap, with Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol reporting that a deal is “very close”.

Solhekol revealed on Tuesday afternoon:

“What we are hearing this afternoon is that Manchester United are in pole position to sign him. One source has gone as far as telling us that he believes that the deal is very close and the player would be happy to move to Manchester United. Even though United are not having a great season, he still feels that they are a big, big club.”

Delap is said to view United as a step up and would welcome a move to one of England’s most historic clubs. His teammate, Ipswich goalkeeper Alex Palmer, offered high praise earlier this year, telling the East Anglian Daily Times:

“He’s a monster… an all-round striker.”

United legends split on Delap move

As always with potential transfers to Manchester United, the opinions of former players carry weight. Club legends Ryan Giggs and Gary Pallister have expressed contrasting views on Delap’s potential arrival.

Giggs, speaking on the Webby & O’Neill show, is optimistic about the addition:

“It would be an improvement, most definitely. They both have Premier League experience which is a massive plus… When you’re in that dressing room preseason and better players come in, it not only gives the fans a lift but it gives the players lift.”

However, Pallister urged caution in his comments to the Ipswich Star:

“Delap is aggressive, always looks a threat and was well schooled at Manchester City. But he’s still young… Manchester United have already gone down that route with Rasmus Hojlund. What Amorim needs is a ready-made striker… someone who is going to get 20 or more goals a season and has experience.”

Pallister also stressed the importance of Champions League qualification, suggesting it could make a significant difference to United’s spending power and appeal to elite players.

Delap’s final decision may hinge on European success

While a deal appears close, Solhekol added that the outcome of the Europa League final could influence Delap’s final call. Securing Champions League football would undoubtedly enhance United’s pull and potentially accelerate the move.

The Red Devils are also eyeing other reinforcements, with reports linking them to a Bruno Fernandes replacement in LaLiga and monitoring Antony’s resurgence at Real Betis. But it’s the potential £30m acquisition of Delap that could set the tone for a pivotal transfer window under manager Ruben Amorim.

The radar chart provides an analytical snapshot of Liam Delap’s performance over the past 365 days, measured against other forwards across key metrics in attacking, possession, and defensive categories over 2,552 minutes of action.

From an attacking standpoint, Delap shows modest percentile rankings. He ranks in the 43rd percentile for non-penalty goals and 26th for non-penalty expected goals (npxG), suggesting room for growth in his finishing and shot quality. His shot-creating actions sit at the 52nd percentile, hinting at a striker who can be involved in build-up play but doesn’t yet dominate the final third in creativity or goal output. Notably, his expected assisted goals (xAG) is low (18th percentile), and actual assists even lower at just the 21st percentile.

In possession-related metrics, however, Delap stands out. He ranks in the 92nd percentile for successful take-ons and 86th for progressive carries, signalling that he excels in driving the ball forward and beating opponents. His ability to receive progressive passes (ranking at 10th percentile) appears limited, perhaps reflecting Ipswich’s system or his positioning. His progressive passing (21st percentile) and pass completion rate (only 10th percentile) show that while he’s dynamic on the ball, his distribution can be inconsistent.

Defensively, Delap demonstrates unexpected steel. He ranks in the 72nd percentile for clearances and 50th for aerial duels won, showing a forward willing to do the dirty work. His tackle and interception numbers (17th percentile) are average, but the clearances suggest a player who can track back and contribute under pressure.

Overall, this chart reflects a physically capable forward who carries the ball well and contributes defensively, but still needs refinement in his end product and link-up play to thrive at the highest level.