Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has backed Liam Delap to handle the pressure of leading the line for the club and has predicted that the forward will also lead the line for England in the future.
Delap is eager to make a strong first impression following his £30m move from Ipswich Town. He hopes to make his Chelsea debut when the Premier League side open their Club World Cup campaign against Los Angeles FC in Atalanta on Monday.
The 22-year-old, who was unable to keep Ipswich in the top flight despite scoring 12 goals last season, is competing with Nicolas Jackson for a starting spot in attack and does not seem overawed by his new surroundings.
More importantly, the England Under-21 international has jumped at the chance to make Chelsea’s number 9 shirt his own and is keen to make an impact at the club.
This, despite several big-name players having failed at making an impression in the number 9 shirt for the Blues, to the point where it is believed to be cursed at Stamford Bridge.
But Maresca has backed Delap to break that curse and succeed in his role at Stamford Bridge.
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What Maresca had to say about Delap at Chelsea
“Liam knows quite well how important the number nine is for this club,” The Guardian quoted Maresca as saying.
“I don’t see any problem. I see Liam quite relaxed, easy, he’s doing well, since he arrived he’s working well. We know each other already from years ago, so I know what Liam can give us. He knows what we can give to him to improve and to become a better player. In terms of No 9, hopefully he can score goals for us.”
“The message is always the same – you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other No 9,” the Italian said. “The conversation with Liam has been quite clear. He was keen to join us because he knows the way we play. We won for the first time for City the Under-23 competition – he scored 24, 25 goals that season.”
“He knows exactly what we can give him, to him and I know what Liam can give us. The conversation was quite easy. We like Liam, Liam like us. I don’t have any doubt that he can be in the future England No 9.”
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