Manchester United have made Liam Delap their No.1 striker target this summer.
Mail Sport revealed last week that United were ready to trigger Delap’s release clause of around £40million if Ipswich are relegated from the Premier League.
It’s now understood that the 22-year-old is their firm favourite ahead of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and other potential targets such as Victor Gyokeres, of Sporting Lisbon, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike.
Delap enhanced his growing reputation by scoring a 12th Premier League goal of the season in Saturday’s defeat to Wolves that saw Ipswich edge closer to the drop.
United’s desperate need for a top striker was exposed again 24 hours later when they finished goalless with Manchester City in a drab Old Trafford derby.
City have a buyback option in the £20m deal that saw Delap leave the Etihad for Portman Road last summer which is also believed to be around £40m.
However, it’s understood that City are unlikely to re-sign him, and Delap wants regular first-team football which he would struggle to get with Erling Haaland well established as first-choice.
Manchester United have made Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap their top striker target for summer
Delap has hit 12 goals in the Premier League this season despite the Tractor Boys’ struggles
Ruben Amorim needs to boost his team’s firepower after a difficult season in the attacking third
City also inserted a 20 per cent sell-on clause as part of Delap’s move to Ipswich so United would have to pay their neighbours around £8m if they sign him.
United’s technical director Jason Wilcox knows Delap from their time together at City, although they still face fierce competition for the England Under-21 striker.
Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool are among the Premier League clubs chasing him and there is strong interest from several clubs abroad.
Osimhen is one of the alternative targets and United could sell Alejandro Garnacho to Napoli as part of a deal to sign the Nigeria striker from the Italians or even use Rasmus Hojlund as a makeweight. The Dane played in Serie A before moving to Old Trafford from Atalanta.