Ipswich Town v Aston Villa will have resurfaced Derby County regret: View | OneFootball

Liam Delap scored twice in the Tractor Boys' 2-2 draw with Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Derby County's academy has produced some fine footballers in recent years.

Jayden Bogle, Jeff Hendrick and Will Hughes have all gone on to play in the Premier League after leaving the Rams in the last decade, but one player who never made a senior appearance for the club is lighting up the top flight already.

Liam Delap spent 10 years at Derby in his youth, before he was signed by Manchester City in 2019 for £1 million. It was a deal that, at the time, was not overly conspicuous, but five years later, the Rams will have some regret.

The 21-year-old joined Ipswich Town from the Premier League champions in the summer for £15 million, a fee that could rise to £20 million with add-ons. Despite his previous escapades on loan not paying off, the Tractor Boys were willing to take the risk on Delap, and it is one that already looks to be paying off - something that will frustrate Derby.

Delap's brace against Aston Villa will make Derby rue the sale even more

Although not his first goals of the season, the striker's performance and brace against Aston Villa will certainly have raised eyebrows up and down the Premier League, but to those in the black-and-white section of the East Midlands, it will not come as any surprise.

Delap was promoted to Derby's U18s at the age of 16, scoring in his final appearance for the team before he was signed by City in the summer of 2019, where he went on to have a prolific career in their U18s and U21s.

In his second season in the north-west, he scored 24 goals in 20 Premier League 2 matches, while also making his debut for the senior team in the league.

Since then, he has had three loans in the Championship, with his most recent one at Hull City the most successful, finding the back of the net eight times. However, he has already fired in three goals for his new club, Ipswich, hitting a brace against Aston Villa on Sunday in a 2-2 draw.

The 21-year-old could have easily had a hat-trick against the Champions League side, after being denied by Emi Martinez while Villa were 2-1 up in the first half.

Despite the miss, he continued to put pressure on Unai Emery's side, and the 6ft 1in striker equalised with 20 minutes to go, expertly finishing past Martinez with a left-footed effort.

Delap and Derby is a relationship we might never get to see

After coming through the ranks at Moor Farm, supporters will be disappointed that the now Premier League striker never donned the Ram on his chest in a professional environment.

Delap played with the likes of Eiran Cashin, Morgan Whittaker and Louie Sibley in the 2019/20 campaign, with both players becoming established Championship players for both Derby and Plymouth Argyle respectively.

Due to his age, he never seemed to be in the picture for a call-up to the first team, and instead, he continued to play in the youth teams before he was bought by Manchester City.

It is a regret that Rams fans will always have, especially after his start to life in the Premier League, and if he continues on this unbelievable path, Derby will possibly never get the opportunity to bring Delap back to the club that built him into the player that he is today.