‘No Doubts’—Enzo Maresca Makes Bold Liam Delap Prediction | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hasn’t guaranteed that Liam Delap will be his first-choice striker next season, but backs the 22-year-old to become England’s next great centre-forward.

Delap had his pick of clubs at the start of the summer transfer window off the back of an impressive campaign in the Premier League with Ipswich Town. He decided to join Chelsea, who secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League on the final day of the season, and the Blues agreed a £30 million ($40.8 million) deal with the Tractor Boys.

The west Londoners were always going to sign a striker this summer after Nicolas Jackson failed to make a considerable jump in 2024–25. The Senegalese international missed a chunk of the season through injury and proved to be inefficient in front of goal when he was available. Jackson scored 10 Premier League goals in 30 games last term.

Delap, who scored 12 times in 37 games for a team who ultimately suffered relegation to the Championship, is set to compete with Jackson for a starting berth, and Maresca has said he hasn’t given Chelsea’s new signing any assurances over playing time.

“I never say to a player you are going to be first choice,” Maresca said ahead of his team’s opening game at the Club World Cup against LAFC. “The message is always the same: you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other No.9 and you can be first choice No.9. So the conversation with Liam was quite clear.”

The Italian, who coached Delap when he was in Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, insisted that there’s a mutual understanding over what both team and player can provide one another. And although he refused to label the 22-year-old as his first-choice forward, Maresca is clearly a big fan of the player and has tipped him for England success.

“Before we faced Ipswich, [when] Liam was not a Chelsea player, I said that for me, potentially he can be England No.9,” Maresca said. “He was not even with us. And for sure now that he’s with us, I’m going to say again that I don’t have any doubt that he can be in the future England No.9.”

Delap is yet to play for the Three Lions, but has represented his country at various youth levels—including the U21s.

READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE