Sources: Chelsea near Delap signing as Utd miss out

Chelsea person beaten Manchester United to the £30 cardinal ($40.5m) signing of Liam Delap with sources telling ESPN that the Conference League winners are adjacent to finalising a woody for the Ipswich Town forward.

Delap, 22, had besides been the taxable of involvement from Newcastle United and Everton, but the imaginable of playing alongside erstwhile Manchester City teammate Cole Palmer astatine Stamford Bridge successful the Champions League adjacent play swung his determination successful Chelsea's favour contempt long-term involvement from United.

ESPN reported past week that Delap would marque his last prime aft United's Europa League last clash with Tottenham Hotspur successful Bilbao owed to the implications of winning and losing for Ruben Amorim's side.

Had United beaten Spurs to assistance the Europa League trophy, the nine would person clinched a spot successful adjacent season's Champions League, but their decision against Ange Postecoglou's squad means that Amorim and his players volition not play successful immoderate European contention adjacent play and sources person said that world edged Delap towards Chelsea.

Sources person told ESPN that Chelsea are present successful the last stages of negotiations with Delap, who is disposable for £30m owed to a clause successful his Ipswich declaration successful the lawsuit of the nine being relegated from the Premier League.

Delap scored 12 goals successful 37 Premier League games for Kieran McKenna's team, but his publication was not capable to support the Portman Road broadside successful the apical division.

And with City opting against triggering a £40m clause that would instrumentality Delap backmost to the Etihad, the guardant has present fixed Chelsea the greenish airy to seal a woody successful clip for him to play successful the FIFA Club World Cup successful the United States aboriginal this month.