Ipswich Town need a Liam Delap replacement ASAP - Leeds United, Chelsea & Millwall strikers must be targeted | OneFootball

Ipswich Town are in the market for a new striker after Liam Delap sealed a transfer to Chelsea last month.

Ipswich Town have had a relatively quiet summer so far following their relegation from the Premier League.

Unlike other clubs who suffer a similar fate, the Tractor Boys have managed to retain the majority of their squad, although there is time for that to change ahead of the deadline.

Of course, some departures are always necessary, and it was inevitable that Liam Delap would leave once it became clear he had a £30m release clause, with Chelsea ultimately winning the race for his signature.

There are fears that Omari Hutchinson could follow Delap out of Portman Road, but, aside from the England U21 international, Kieran McKenna will be confident that others stick around.

So, attention can turn to incomings, and it’s fair to say that Ipswich look well-stocked in most positions - although there are two exceptions.

A new central midfielder will be a priority, along with a striker to replace Delap, with George Hirst and Ali Al-Hamadi the only two senior number nines at the club.

With that in mind, we look at THREE players who Ipswich should target to fill such a crucial position…

Marc Guiu

Chelsea youngster Marc Guiu has been linked with a move to Suffolk, and he would be a fantastic addition to McKenna’s squad should a loan deal be agreed.

A former Barcelona youngster, Guiu broke into the first-team of the Catalan giants, scoring on his debut in La Liga, and finding the net in the Champions League, before he left to join Chelsea.

The 19-year-old featured predominantly in Europe last season, scoring six goals as Enzo Maresca’s men won the Conference League, so the talent is there.

But, he needs regular football to help his development, and Guiu could flourish in an Ipswich side that will be dominant next season.

His sharp movement and instincts in front of goal are ideally suited to a team that will create chances, and he could quickly become a talisman - like Delap was.

Mateo Joseph

Another Spaniard, Joseph is currently at Leeds, but he is expected to leave this summer after his lack of game time under Daniel Farke in the Championship.

There were high hopes for Joseph last season, and the harsh reality is that he failed to live up to expectations at Elland Road, which is why he will be available.

However, it’s far too soon to write the 21-year-old off, and the fact that Real Betis had a £10m offer rejected for the player shows he is still highly-regarded in the game.

Joseph fits the profile for what McKenna wants from his number nine. He has decent physicality, and he will run in behind, so the tools are there, but there are areas he must improve.

McKenna could be the ideal coach to do just that, and if Joseph does click at Portman Road, it could be a shrewd investment in the long-term.

Mihailo Ivanovic

This is an ambitious one, as the Millwall striker has been linked with Everton, Parma and Wolves. Plus, there’s no guarantee that he would swap the Lions for another Championship club, as they have promotion ambitions of their own.

But, as outlined above, Ipswich don’t need to overhaul their squad this summer, so they could be able to spend decent sums in the positions they want to strengthen.

It has been claimed that a fee of £13.8m will convince Millwall to sell, so it’s a big sum, but Ivanovic could fire Ipswich to promotion, and then flourish in the top-flight.

The Serbian is very good with his back to goal, he can lead the line well, and he scores goals.

After scoring 12 goals in his first season at this level, Ivanovic knows the demands, and he could easily be a standout player in the Championship next season, so he would be a major coup for the Tractor Boys if they use their financial power to pull this off.