Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has voiced his doubts over Chelsea’s decision to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer.
Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement to bring the 22-year-old striker to Stamford Bridge after his spell at Ipswich, where he scored 12 goals in 40 appearances during a campaign that ended in relegation to the Championship.
Despite Delap’s potential, Petit is unconvinced the young forward is ready to lead the line for Enzo Maresca’s side.
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“Liam Delap has quality, I think he did a great job at Ipswich, but it’s a huge step,” Petit told PokerStrategy, as quoted by Metro UK. “He has a really bright future and I respect him, but moving from Ipswich to Chelsea is massive in terms of expectation and pressure.”
Petit also pointed to the challenges that have plagued Chelsea’s No.9 role in recent years.
“That number nine position at Chelsea has been a curse for so many players,” he added. “Chelsea need a striker who can score 25 goals a season—will Delap give you that? I’m not so sure.”