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Arsenal have actively stepped up their interest for a prolific goalscorer in this summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta believes that the Gunners are a couple of attacking signings away from challenging for the Premier League crown.
Therefore, he feels bringing a new striker is imperative as they have been linked with Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko. Apart from these two they haven't initiated interest in any other striker available in the market.
Recently, Ipswich Town striker, Liam Delap was available in the market for £30million due to clause in his contract which got trigger due to Ipswich's relegation from the Premier League.
Several Premier League clubs lined up around the English striker and eventually, Chelsea signed the young forward. They were in the market for a young striker and Delap suited their requirements perfectly.
English football legend and pundit Gary Lineker was surprised that Arsenal didn't show any interest in the former Ipswich Town striker when he was available for such a low transfer fee, knowing their interest in a goalscoring striker.
“Delap to Chelsea, interesting one,” Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast. “I thought maybe Arsenal would go for him. Perhaps they did, I don’t know, but Chelsea have got their man.
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“We’d said, didn’t we, many times that Chelsea needed backup for [Nicolas] Jackson up top or an alternative. I think he’s a young, exciting centre forward. I saw someone, I can’t remember who it was, said they saw a bit of a young Alan Shearer in him.
“I think that’s the only thing that Chelsea were missing. I mean, Jackson’s got something in him, but his finishing is not as good as it could be. And if Delap does realise his full potential, then that might just be the missing ingredient.”
What could Delap bring to Chelsea?
Lineker believe that Delap has shades of former Newcastle United star Alan Shearer with his old-school style of play. He has the physicality and the ball striking ability to score goals at the English topflight with consistency and therefore could have been a good fit for Arsenal, considering he is a proven player and will only grow into a more capable striker.
“I think he’s a bit old-fashioned. He’s like a throwback from what a centre forward was maybe 20, 30 years ago, where they were all in fashion,” Shearer echoed Lineker's thoughts. “He’s always like aggressive, horrible to play against, doesn’t mind mixing it up, and obviously scores goals.
“I mean, the number of goals he scored in a really struggling team, that is only going to get better. I think at his age, the ability he’s got now, I think he’s got a really bright future, and I like him.”
Already hailed as someone who could replace Harry Kane for the England national team, Delap has a lot of expectations around him already. But he did show sparks of brilliance last season as he scored 12 goals in the Premier League whilst playing for a relegated team.
Overall, Arteta is on the lookout for a striker who will instantly elevate their team, and they believe Delap is currently not at that level. Sesko, who is linked with Arsenal and is of similar age to Delap, has netted 21 goals last season for Leipzig while Gyokeres has been on a goal-scoring spree and is far more experienced that the Englishman.
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