Chelsea are reportedly braced for competition from Juventus for the signature of Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, who is almost certain to leave in the summer transfer window.
The Blues will face West London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday in the Premier League, and they will be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Legia Warsaw last Thursday in the Conference League.
Enzo Maresca's team still advanced into the semi-finals of the competition after winning 4-2 on aggregate, but the defeat has placed the Blues boss under even more pressure.
The Londoners are at risk of not qualifying for the Champions League, with key stars such as Cole Palmer misfiring in attack in recent months.
While Maresca may wish to use the upcoming summer window to address his side's faltering forward line, Italian outfit TuttoSport claim that Juventus are also in the race for reported striker target Delap.
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Does Delap suit Chelsea?
Maresca has spoken out in defence of his current striker Nicolas Jackson, arguing that he is the ideal player to lead the line.
Jackson has scored 23 Premier League goals in 61 top-flight appearances for the Blues, and he has consistently underperformed his xG figures.
Delap has so far scored 12 league goals this term, and his return is admirable considering his side are currently third last in 18th place and look destined to be relegated.
It should also be noted that the 22-year-old has outperformed his xG figure of nine, indicating his ability to finish well and take his chances.
The Englishman is also comfortable making runs beyond the last line of defence, and is adept when holding the ball up against physically imposing centre-backs, something that Jackson struggles with.
Perhaps the addition Delap would be beneficial to the likes of Palmer, who has not scored in 15 games, registering just two assists in that time.
Palmer is at his best when he can combine with mobile targets, but Delap would also provide the attacking midfielder with a true focal point in the forward line.
Lewis Nolan
