Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says helium has nary uncertainty caller striker Liam Delap volition go a "future England fig nine" arsenic helium prepares to marque his Blues debut astatine the Club World Cup.
The 22-year-old guardant joined successful a £30m woody from Ipswich earlier successful June to reunite with his erstwhile Manchester City academy manager.
Delap, who signed a six-year declaration astatine Stamford Bridge, scored 12 goals successful 37 Premier League appearances past term.
Chelsea look Los Angeles FC successful their Club World Cup opener connected Monday (20:00 BST) successful Atlanta.
When asked astir Delap, who pulled retired of England work for the European Under-21 Championship to articulation Chelsea successful the United States, Maresca said: "I said Liam tin beryllium England's fig 9 erstwhile we faced Ipswich.
"Now helium is simply a Chelsea player, I'm going to accidental again, I don't person immoderate uncertainty that helium tin beryllium successful the aboriginal England fig nine.
"We won with Manchester City's Under-23s - helium scored 24, 25 goals that play - truthful helium knows precisely what we tin springiness him, I cognize what Liam tin springiness us. It's a win-win. We similar Liam, Liam likes us, truthful it was an casual conversation."
Delap is among 4 caller players successful Chelsea's squad, on with returning loanee Andrey Santos and caller teenage signings Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Mike Penders.
But Maresca explained Delap volition person to vie with chap striker Nicolas Jackson to gain a starting spot and refused to accidental whether helium volition commencement astatine the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
He besides explained, without straight being asked astir it, that the nine needs a caller near winger aft Chelsea paid a £5m punishment interest not to motion Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho, adding: "Jadon is not with us. So for definite that is simply a presumption that astir apt we request to bash something.
"Also because, Misha [Mudryk] is not with us. At this infinitesimal we person Noni [Madueke], Pedro [Neto] and Ty [George] arsenic due wingers. So for definite thing is going to happen."
The Blues are expected to rekindle their involvement successful Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens arsenic the transfer model re-opens connected Monday, having had a £42m bid rejected for the 20-year-old conscionable earlier the Club World Cup.
They besides made an attack for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, but Maresca insists helium inactive has religion successful the likes of Robert Sanchez. He explained: "Robert is the fig one, we person Filip arsenic fig two.
"Penders joins america successful the adjacent fewer weeks to analyse, justice him and instrumentality a last decision. Then for Maignan oregon antithetic players, I don't deliberation it's worthy talking astir them."
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