{"id":1635,"date":"2026-02-27T01:22:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T01:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=1635"},"modified":"2026-02-27T01:22:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T01:22:36","slug":"hes-the-one-chelsea-urged-to-sign-30m-premier-league-star-to-replace-transfer-mistake-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=1635","title":{"rendered":"‘He’s the one’ – Chelsea urged to sign \u00a330m Premier League star to replace transfer ‘mistake’ | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Chelsea are braced for another summer of transfer activity (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chelsea have been urged to pursue a move for Brentford striker Igor Thiago as a potential replacement for Liam Delap.<\/p>\n

Delap turned down an approach from\u00a0Manchester United\u00a0to\u00a0sign for Chelsea for \u00a330million\u00a0last summer, but has endured a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

The English striker has scored two goals in 21 appearances in all competitions, with the arrival of Liam Rosenior, who he thrived under at Hull, yet to revitalise the 23-year-old\u2019s fortunes at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

Speaking recently, Jamie Carragher suggested that Delap might have made a mistake by jumping straight to Chelsea from Ipswich.<\/p>\n

And former Blues winger Pat Nevin admitted that Delap\u2019s goal concern is a concern, telling TEAMtalk: \u2018It\u2019s a funny thing with Liam, because the numbers aren\u2019t good, are they?<\/p>\n

\u2018Is it one goal so far in the Premier League? Something like that, which is not what you want. You expect a lot better than that for a big-money signing. <\/p>\n

\u2018And he did much better at Ipswich before the switch. But you ask Chelsea fans and they quite like him. The reason is that he works hard, and he makes space for other people. He\u2019s one of those strikers who maybe won\u2019t score as much.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Chelsea\t<\/div>
Liam Delap has struggled since his move from Ipswich Town (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It\u2019s the old Chelsea problem. Over the years, for such a long time, they spent a lot of money on centre-forwards. In the past it was slightly older ones, but it never quite worked the way they wanted, so it\u2019s hard to see where the specific problem is. Where else do you go? Who else do you look for?<\/p>\n

\u2018If you can get somebody better who is going to add more, then fine. But they\u2019ve gone through so many. [Nicolas] Jackson in the last couple of years \u2013 you can keep going back. You can go all the way back to [Andriy] Shevchenko. So it\u2019s been a tough position for Chelsea to get right.<\/p>\n

\u2018But I suspect if they could get somebody who they felt could almost guarantee them 15 to 20 a season, they would lose Liam and they would lose anyone just to get that player.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Newcastle\t<\/div>
Igor Thiago has broken records this season (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Should Chelsea look to reinvest their funds in the summer, Nevin wondered whether Brentford striker Thiago would tick plenty of boxes after a breakout season under Keith Andrews, which has seen him already bag 17 league goals.<\/p>\n

\u2018You need to fit into Chelsea\u2019s rules, as it were \u2013 younger players wanted now,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n

\u2018In actual fact, how many in the world can you look at and say, right, he\u2019s a stick-on to get 15 or 20 a season, and you\u2019re young and you\u2019re coming through? It just doesn\u2019t exist, really. So it\u2019s a tough one for them, but they\u2019ll keep trying.<\/p>\n

\u2018Given the route they\u2019re trying just now \u2013 if there was one that was closest, it would probably be Igor Thiago. Because you look at that and think, right, okay, you\u2019re scoring in the Premier League, and you are only 24.<\/p>\n

\u2018A lot of the problem with a lot of the other players that you get \u2014 and this isn\u2019t just Chelsea, by the way. This seriously isn\u2019t just Chelsea. This is Manchester United as well. <\/p>\n

\u2018They look around and think, yes, they scored a lot of goals in Germany or Italy. That\u2019s different. That\u2019s totally different; it doesn\u2019t always translate.<\/p>\n

\u2018So somebody who is currently doing it in the Premier League, maybe he\u2019s the one.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Paul Merson\u2019s Premier League predictions, including Arsenal v Chelsea and Man Utd v Crystal Palace<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Roberto Martinez says \u00a354m Chelsea star can reach another level ahead of Arsenal clash<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Man Utd and Chelsea target Elliot Anderson speaks out on transfer links<\/span><\/p>\n
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