Delap challenged to earn No. 9 after Chelsea transfer

Enzo Maresca believes Liam Delap has the possible to grow to be England’s primary striker, however warned the 22-year-old he faces a struggle to get into the Chelsea line-up first.

Delap may make his Blues debut towards LAFC in Monday’s FIFA Club World Cup opener in Atlanta after finishing a £30 million transfer from Ipswich Town previous this month.

Chelsea beat out festival from numerous golf equipment together with Manchester United for Delap’s signature amid expectancies the previous Manchester City academy participant may someday rival Harry Kane to steer the road for his nation.

Kane is England’s captain and all-time document goalscorer with 73 targets from 107 appearances, however Maresca advised journalists on Sunday: “When we faced Ipswich, before we faced Ipswich, so [when] Liam was not a Chelsea player, I said that for me, Liam, potentially, he can be England’s number nine.

“So he used to be now not even with us. And evidently now that he is with us, I’m going to mention once more that I should not have any doubt that he may also be someday England quantity 9.

“[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 number nine and you are going to be number nine first-choice. So the conversation with Liam has been quite clear.

“He used to be prepared to enroll in us as a result of he is aware of the best way we play, the season that we have been in combination additionally we gained for the primary time for Manchester City the under-23 festival. He scored 24, 25 targets 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 and the conversation was quite an easy conversation. We like Liam, Liam like us, so it was an easy conversation.”

Chelsea passed Delap the membership’s No. 9 blouse, which many high-profile avid gamers have struggled with lately together with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Álvaro Morata and Fernando Torres.

“Liam knows quite well how important is the number nine for this club,” persisted Maresca, who coached Delap all over his time at City. “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 once more on the subject of quantity 9, confidently he can rating targets for us.”

Midfielder Moisés Caicedo subsidized Delap to make a direct have an effect on all over the event within the United States after impressing in coaching.

“We are glad to have him as a result of he’s an overly most sensible participant,” said Caicedo. “He confirmed [that] remaining season, so we’re glad. He is coaching in reality neatly. You can see the standard he has. For certain, we’re going to rating numerous targets with this wonderful participant.”