Enzo Maresca has dismissed talk of Chelsea pursuing Ipswich star Liam Delap, declaring that the Blues already possess the “perfect No.9” in Nicolas Jackson.
Reports have linked Chelsea with a summer move for Delap as they look to strengthen up front, especially after Jackson’s recent absence exposed the lack of depth in the striker department.
With Christopher Nkunku struggling for form and Joao Felix failing to impress while on loan at AC Milan, speculation has grown over Chelsea targeting a new forward.
Delap, who’s tallied 12 goals and two assists in his debut Premier League season, is reportedly high on Chelsea’s radar. The 21-year-old has a £30m release clause activated if Ipswich drop into the Championship.
But Maresca, who previously coached Delap in Manchester City’s academy, praised the young forward while shutting down transfer speculation.
“I know Liam well—he’s already very good and can be even better,” said Maresca ahead of Sunday’s match against Ipswich. “But right now, he’s an opponent. We need to beat him and then I’ll wish him the best.”
Delap was on the scoresheet when Ipswich defeated Chelsea 2-0 earlier this season, and Maresca admitted his team must keep a close eye on the in-form striker this time around.
“He did well in the first game,” Maresca added. “And he’s been doing that all season—not just against us. We’ll need to handle him better this time.”
Despite the Delap buzz, Maresca reiterated that Chelsea already have their ideal striker in Jackson, who has impressed with 12 Premier League goals—none from the penalty spot.
“He fights, he’s always there, and with him, we’re a better team,” Maresca said. “You sometimes need to miss a player to see how valuable they are.”
When asked what type of No.9 he prefers, Maresca made his stance clear: “My perfect No.9 is Nico Jackson. We don’t need to talk about summer now.”
Maresca refused to be drawn into transfer speculation with seven Premier League games still to play, instead emphasizing the need to finish the season strong.
“If we can have a copy of Nico, great—but we already have who we need,” he said. “It’s not time to talk about next season. Nico is our guy, and we’re happy.”