Premier League giants Chelsea eyeing transfer raid for former Hull City favourite

Chelsea have been linked with a move for ex-Hull City star Liam Delap, as he continues to impress in the Premier League with newboys Ipswich Town.

Delap was a revelation last season in the Championship after joining City from Manchester City and became a huge miss in the second half of the campaign as he nursed a knee injury which saw him sidelined for 15 crucial games, before returning for the final five outings of the season.

His eight goals in 32 games were crucial in helping the Tigers get to within a whisker of securing a place in the Championship play-offs, and though City pushed hard to sign him permanently from the Etihad Stadium in the summer, the lure of Premier League football was too strong and he joined the Tractor Boys in a £20m deal, linking up with Jacob Greaves, who also left the MKM Stadium during a close season of major upheaval in East Yorkshire.

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Since swapping Manchester for Ipswich, Delap has caught the eye for Kieran McKenna's men, netting six goals and one assists, and that form has attracted interest from suitors higher up the food chain.

Chelsea, according to the i newspaper, are one of the growing list of clubs looking at signing Delap, with them claiming Enzo Maresca is a big admirer of the powerful 21-year-old forward, though the Premier League champions do have a buy-back clause inserted into the deal, similar to the one which Aston Villa activated to bring back Jaden Philogene from the Tigers in the summer.