Delap can be 'England's future number nine', says Maresca

Enzo Maresca backed Liam Delap to be "England's future number nine" following his move to Chelsea.

The Blues signed Delap from Ipswich Town for a reported £30m, with the striker signing a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian manager previously worked with Delap during his time at Manchester City, coaching the forward at under-21 level.

Delap finished the 2024-25 season with 12 Premier League goals. Only Marcus Stewart has scored more for Ipswich across a single campaign in the competition, with 19 in 2000-01.

He averaged a goal every 217.7 minutes in the league and became the youngest player to score in back-to-back home Premier League appearances for Ipswich, and the first player to do so overall for the club since Finidi George in March 2002.

Delap's 12 goals came from 9.3 expected goals – an overperformance of 2.7. No other Ipswich player had an xG overperformance higher than 0.9.

Maresca confirmed that Chelsea's new number nine is not showing any nerves and can improve his game at the London club.

"Liam knows quite well how important is the number nine for this club... I see him quite relaxed, easy, he's doing well. Since he arrived, he's working well," said Maresca.

"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.

"He was keen to join us because he knows the way we play, the season that we were together...he scored 24 goals.

"I don't have any doubt that he can be in the future England's number nine."

Chelsea face Los Angeles FC in their first Club World Cup match on June 16, but Maresca did not confirm whether Delap would get his first start ahead of Nicolas Jackson.

"I never say to a player you [will] be a first choice, the message is always the same: you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other number nine [and you can be]," Maresca added.