Liam Delap said he chose to join Chelsea because they have the quality required to “get back to the very top” of the game, as he completed his £30 million move from Ipswich Town.
Chelsea won the race for Delap’s signature amid fierce competition from clubs such as Manchester United, Newcastle United, Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea moved swiftly to sign Delap this summer and he will now be eligible to represent his new team at the Club World Cup, having been asked to miss the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia.
Delap, who has signed a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge, has existing relationships with some important members of the Chelsea set-up. He was previously coached by Enzo Maresca during his time at Manchester City, where he was also a team-mate of current Chelsea players Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia.
“Growing up watching this club, I understand the stature of it and how incredible it has been over the years,” the 22-year-old said.
“I wanted to come here to win trophies. When I spoke to the club, everyone wanted to get back to the very top, and they have the quality and the players to do that. The hunger and desire to keep adding trophies, to take the club back to where it belongs, that is the main objective,” he added.
