Leam Delap joined Chelsea from Ipswich Town in a £30 million transfer this summer but it isn't a foregone conclusion that the young England hopeful will be a regular starter for Enzo Maresca's side.
Chelsea lifted the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer, adding Brighton and Hove Albion forward Joao Pedro to the squad during the competition. Delap also joined up with his new teammates over in the United States, scoring once in six appearances at the tournament.
Delap's father Rory has provided an update on the player's mindset ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season which begins this weekend.
Liam Delap prepared to fight for his place at Chelsea
“Liam is really enjoying his time at Chelsea. We watched a lot of the Club World Cup games in America and although we weren’t too sure about it at the start, it really grew in the later rounds and was a good competition.
“The biggest thing for us is that Chelsea didn’t just go there to take part, they went there to win it. That mentality suits Liam down to the ground because he wants to win trophies and be successful – that’s why he joined Chelsea. Thankfully, he’s already won one early on, but hopefully there’s a lot more to come."
Delap Snr. was a Premier League footballer himself and more recently Robbie Keane's right-hand man at Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Ferencvaros, where he served as assistant manager, winning back-to-back titles in Israel and Hungary.
“Liam knows he’s going to have to compete for his place in the team and make it his own – he’s under no illusions about that. That said, he’s confident in himself and we just hope both Chelsea and Liam can have a successful [time] together.”
Maresca's side is blessed with attacking options, particularly in the centre-forward position Delap operates from.
Nicolas Jackson is suspended for the beginning of the season and has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, but will compete for a place in the team should he stay put.
In addition to Joao Pedro and Jackson, Chelsea also have Christopher Nkunku to challenge Delap for the No.9 berth.
Rory Delap was speaking at the launch of William Hill’s new free-to-play game Final One Standing. Players have the chance to win a share of £500,000, with jackpots to be won every week through the 2025/26 Premier League season. Learn more about Final One Standing here.
