Chelsea FC are reportedly eyeing a second summer signing after Trevor Chalobah's £30m move to Como. Cesc Fabregas has expressed interest in a second Chelsea player, with Liam Delap being the target.
What happened?
Cesc Fabregas has expressed interest in signing Liam Delap from Chelsea FC after the club put the 23-year-old up for sale. Fabregas, who played for Chelsea FC from 2014 to 2019, has a good relationship with the club's bosses and is hoping to use his connections to secure Delap's transfer.
Why it matters for Chelsea FC
Chelsea FC's decision to put Delap up for sale has sparked interest from several clubs, including Everton, Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest. The club is hoping to receive at least £40m for Delap, who has struggled to make an impact in his first season at Chelsea FC.
What comes next?
Chelsea FC face west London rivals Fulham in their Premier League opener next Monday night. The Blues finished just 10th last season, 33 points behind leaders Arsenal, and will be looking to improve their league standing this season. They have scored 58 goals and conceded 52 so far this season, with a goal difference of +6.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 10th in Premier League, 52 pts, 14W-10D-14L from 38 games, recent form LWDLL.
Chelsea FC's £30m signing of Delap was seen as a real coup, but the 23-year-old only scored one Premier League goal for the Blues. Despite his struggles, Chelsea FC hope to receive at least £40m for Delap amid long-term interest from Everton and Newcastle United.
Nottingham Forest have also reportedly joined the battle to sign Delap, who is believed to be hoping to stay in England if he is forced out of Chelsea FC. Chelsea FC bolstered Xabi Alonso's attacking options over the summer with the signing of ex-England striker Danny Welbeck from Brighton. Nicolas Jackson has also returned from his season-long loan at Bayern Munich but could be offloaded as well as Delap, with Aston Villa admirers.
In an exclusive interview with Metro at the start of the summer, Danny Murphy advised Alonso to block Delap from leaving Chelsea FC. 'I think any manager coming in has to give players a chance so I think he'll want to look at them and see what they've got,' Murphy said on behalf of NetBet football. 'The other thing is that there might not be other clubs who want to take them with the wages they are on or pay the fee for them. That is just the dynamic of football politics and transfers, you can easily say "they haven't done very well let's move them on", but where to, and for how much? Liam Delap is a young lad, and he brings some characteristics that Chelsea FC don't have. He's different to Joao Pedro so I think Xabi Alonso will give him a crack.'
What's next for Chelsea FC?
Chelsea FC face west London rivals Fulham in their Premier League opener next Monday night. The Blues finished just 10th last season, 33 points behind leaders Arsenal, and will be looking to improve their league standing this season. They have scored 58 goals and conceded 52 so far this season, with a goal difference of +6.
Goals this season: 58 scored, 52 conceded (+6 goal difference).
