Chelsea confirm Liam Delap signing in £30m deal, face tug-of-war over England U-21 euro duties

Chelsea Football Club have officially announced the signing of young striker Liam Delap in a £30 million deal, but the Blues are already facing complications as the forward is expected to be named in England’s final Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Championship.

Delap’s transfer from Manchester City was confirmed on Wednesday night, just ahead of England U21 manager Lee Carsley’s squad announcement on Friday. 

Delap had earlier expressed his preference to move to Stamford Bridge and was included in Carsley’s provisional squad. The striker now faces a decision that could impact Chelsea’s pre-season preparations.

With Chelsea set to begin their FIFA Club World Cup campaign against Los Angeles FC on June 16 in Atlanta—just four days before England’s U21 Euro opener against Slovakia—the club had hoped to integrate Delap immediately into Enzo Maresca’s plans. However, his international commitments could complicate that schedule.

The Blues are reportedly eager to use the Club World Cup as a core part of their condensed pre-season, especially with many players also away on international duty. Given FIFA’s rule mandating a minimum three-week break for players, Delap’s summer workload will require careful management.

Delap’s inclusion in the final England U21 squad could mean he misses key time with Chelsea ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League season. Should Chelsea progress to the Club World Cup final, their players would have barely a month to rest and prepare for the new campaign.