Chelsea have splashed out a whopping £30million to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich, but is he really worth that kind of dough? I mean, come on, the bloke's only played one season in the top flight!
Delap's rise to the top
Sure, the 22-year-old had a decent campaign with the Tractor Boys, banging in 12 goals in 37 games, but let's not get carried away here. He's still got a lot to prove at the highest level, and the pressure of that price tag won't make it any easier for him at Stamford Bridge.
The curse of the No.9 shirt
And speaking of pressure, Delap has taken the No.9 shirt at Chelsea, which has been cursed ever since Fernando Torres put it on and turned into a donkey overnight. Good luck with that, mate!
Champions League football awaits
The main reason Delap chose Chelsea over Manchester United was the chance to play in the Champions League. But let's be real, the Blues only finished fourth in the league last season, so they're hardly setting the world alight.
Reunited with Maresca
At least Delap will have a familiar face in the dressing room, as he's worked with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca before during his time at Manchester City. But Maresca's only been in the job five minutes himself, so who knows if he's even up to the task of managing a big club like Chelsea?
Can Delap handle the step up?
Delap's former coach Ian Foster reckons he can score goals at the highest level, but talk is cheap. The Premier League is a different beast altogether, and we've seen plenty of players fail to live up to the hype after impressing in the lower leagues.
Conclusion
Only time will tell if Delap can justify that hefty price tag and become a success at Chelsea. But one thing's for sure, he'll need to hit the ground running and start banging in the goals from day one if he wants to win over the fickle Chelsea faithful. No pressure, lad!
