Chelsea move can help Delap become England's No 9, says manager Maresca

Enzo Maresca insists Liam Delap can use his Chelsea platform to become England’s next No 9.

Delap, 22, was signed for £30million from Ipswich in a move which reunited him with Maresca, under whom he scored a bundle of goals for Manchester City’s academy.

The Blues boss reckons he can do so again and that he is confident the striker can go on to replace Harry Kane as the Three Lions’ regular frontman.

‘When Liam was not a Chelsea player, I said that, for me, potentially, he can be England’s No 9,’ Maresca said ahead of his side’s Club World Cup opener versus Los Angeles FC.

‘So 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 England No 9 in the future.

‘[But] I never say to a players you are going to be a first choice. The message is always the same: you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other No 9 and you are going to be No 9 first-choice. So the conversation with Liam has been quite clear.

‘He was keen to join us because he knows the way we play. The season that we were together also we won for the first time for Manchester City the Under-23 competition. He scored 24, 25 goals that season. So he knows exactly what we can give to him and I know what Liam can give us. So I think it's a win-win. We like Liam and Liam likes us, so it was an easy conversation.’

Delap scored 12 goals for Ipswich as they were relegated to the Championship last season, with Chelsea winning what was a hectic race to secure his signature.

Maresca added that Delap is not going to get bogged down by talk of Chelsea’s No 9 shirt carrying a curse, as he continued: ‘Personally I don't see any problem about that.

‘I see Liam quite relaxed, easy, he's doing well. Since he arrived he's working well. We know each other already from years ago, so I know what Liam can give us, he knows what we can give to him to improve and to become a better player. And again in terms of No 9, hopefully he can score goals for us.’