Three strikers who could lead line for Chelsea next season – and our prediction ...Middle East

There was a time not too long ago when Chelsea’s striking options felt more like a long-running issue than a genuine selection dilemma.

Memories of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Romelu Lukaku still weigh heavily on the minds of Chelsea fans, but with the arrival of Liam Delap, the question of who should lead the line for Enzo Maresca next season is suddenly one that provokes real intrigue.

Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign has undoubtedly brought both significant opportunity and heightened exposure.

The club has already banked approximately £36m from the competition and stands to earn more should they progress against Benfica on Saturday.

However, the combination of an untimely suspension and soaring temperatures has forced Maresca to test the depth of his attacking ranks earlier than expected.

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One player who has seized the opportunity is Delap, the 22-year-old summer signing from Ipswich Town.

The England youth international marked his debut with an assist in the opener against Los Angeles FC, then produced a calm finish against Esperance on Tuesday night local time, offering a glimpse of what Chelsea paid £30m for.

His relationship with Maresca, who coached him at Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad during their Premier League 2 title win in 2020-21, has eased the transition.

“We expect to progress quickly with Liam,” Maresca said. “The reason why is because we know him, and he knows us and the way we want to play.”

Delap himself has dismissed the idea that adapting to Chelsea’s more possession-based system will be a challenge.

“I spent five years at City and every game we were in that position,” he said. “I’ve got a good relationship with the manager. I know how he plays. I’ve played in this system before.”

By contrast, Nicolas Jackson’s progression has been far from linear. While he scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances in all competitions last season, moments of promise have often been offset by lapses in discipline.

A red card against Flamengo in Philadelphia, combined with a domestic ban, means that he will miss the Blues’ Premier League season opener against Crystal Palace as well as the upcoming Club World Cup meeting with Benfica, having been forced to sit out the game against Esperance.

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Due to his ill-discipline, the Senegal forward was excluded from training with the squad ahead of their fixture against Esperance, as Maresca made it clear that only players available for selection would be involved.

That lapse in concentration handed Delap a golden opportunity.

He offers something different to Jackson – equally mobile, but more powerful and better suited to act as a focal point in attack.

His 12 league goals last season for Ipswich saw him outperform his expected goals tally (xG) by 2.7.

Jackson, by comparison, had a higher xG but only scored 10, falling short of his expected tally.

While both players clearly have value, Delap appears to be the more clinical of the two.

Delap’s path to Chelsea has also been somewhat unconventional. After indifferent loan spells at Stoke City and Preston North End before a more productive stint at Hull City, he then enjoyed a breakthrough season under Kieran McKenna at Ipswich last term.

While his stats so far don’t suggest that he is a generational talent, they do reflect a player who has absorbed the demands of senior football in a way that Chelsea’s young squad could benefit from.

He is ready for the scrutiny that comes with playing for a top side.

That scrutiny is something Jackson is still learning to handle. His red card against Flamengo drew sharp criticism from pundits, including Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel, who described it as a “stupid mistake”.

While the 24-year-old has shown flashes of what is required from a modern-day forward, he must add maturity to his game to justify starting in high-pressure matches.

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Meanwhile, the club has been linked with a high-profile move for Hugo Ekitike.

The Eintracht Frankfurt striker finished last season with 23 Bundesliga goal involvements. However, Frankfurt are reportedly holding out for €100m (£85m), and tactically, Ekitike often operates as a wide forward or second striker – less of a natural fit for Maresca’s structured, centralised No 9 role.

For now, Delap looks like the man most in line with Maresca’s vision.

He may not have the flair of Ekitike or the versatility of Jackson, but he offers a rare commodity at Stamford Bridge: simplicity.

A powerful, direct striker with good movement, efficient finishing and a head coach who believes in him.

Whether or not Chelsea go deep in the Club World Cup, Delap’s emergence feels timely.

In a team seeking greater consistency, Delap may be the forward around whom Maresca can build.

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