Delap made his Chelsea debut against LAFC in the Club World Cup.
Liam Delap had a memorable afternoon when he made his much awaited Chelsea debut against Los Angeles FC in the Club World Cup.
Enzo Maresca’s team won 2-0 in Atlanta thanks to a strong 26-minute cameo from the 22-year-old, who rejected Manchester United in favor of a £30 million move to Chelsea.
The former Ipswich Town striker, who replaced Nicolas Jackson in the second half, had some encouraging moments as he displayed his speed, physical presence, and ability to lead the line.
He remained a threat in advanced areas, and after 79 minutes, Delap found Enzo Fernandez with a perfectly-weighted cross from the right side to earn his maiden Chelsea assist.
This is how social media supporters responded to his appearance versus the MLS team.
One said: “I don’t know what to say, Liam Delap. Regarding your debt? One person said, “I’ve seen enough Liam Delap is world class,” while another said, “Superstar in the making.”
Another added, “Liam Delap is a special footballer and I feel sad for those who don’t get it yet.”
“Seen enough in a Chelsea shirt,” remarked a fourth. Our front guy is Delap. A fifth person wrote, “Liam Delap, I am already in love. Not only does Nico have competition, but Liam just surpassed him.”
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Maresca confidently asserted that Delap will develop into a “future England number nine” before of Monday’s match and supported him to withstand the demands of starting at Stamford Bridge.
“I said Liam can be England’s number nine when we faced Ipswich,” Maresca stated. “Now that he plays for Chelsea, I will reiterate that I have no doubts about his ability to be England’s number nine in the future.
“He scored 24 and 25 goals that season, so he knows exactly what we can give him, and I know what Liam can give us. We won with Manchester City’s Under-23s.” It benefits both parties. It was a simple talk since we like Liam and he likes us.
“The message is always the same,” Maresca continued, “you show up, you work hard, and you put in more work than the other No 9. The dialogue with Liam has been very explicit. He knew how we play, so he was eager to join us.
In his very first interview as a Chelsea player, Delap explained why he chose to join the Blues.
“I just think it’s going to be an amazing place for me to develop and continue to play good football,” he said, referring to the club’s overall improvement over the past several years, the players, the manager, and the direction they’re on.
“They want to return the club to its rightful place by winning more trophies.”
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