Liam Delap Tipped as Chelsea’s Next Costa or Drogba

Liam Delap wasted little time making Stamford Bridge buzz again, smashing home on his debut and convincing many that Chelsea have finally found the penalty-box bully they have craved since Diego Costa left. The 22-year-old’s £30 million move from relegated Ipswich raised eyebrows, but the early evidence suggests the Blues have unlocked a striker cut from the same granite as Didier Drogba.

Liam Delap brings back power to Chelsea’s frontline

The primary attraction for Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was Delap’s raw, relentless physicality. At Ipswich he was described as a “one-man wrecking ball”, bullying Premier League defenders despite thin service. Tony Dorigo, the former Chelsea left-back, believes that ferocity can be weaponised in west London. Speaking to GOAL, Dorigo said: “With his size, pace and hunger, he reminds me of Drogba’s early Chelsea days. Feed him properly and he will destroy centre-backs.”

Cole Palmer promises a ‘supply line from the gods’

Every great Chelsea finisher had a trusted creator. Drogba had Frank Lampard, Costa had Eden Hazard, and Delap hopes to feast on the vision of Cole Palmer. Maresca knows both men from Manchester City’s academy and has already tilted his shape to unleash their partnership: Palmer drifts centrally as the No.10, Delap pins the last defender, and the through balls flow. Dorigo calls it “a supply line from the gods” and predicts the understanding will blossom quickly because the pair “speak the same football language.”

Why the cursed No. 9 shirt no longer feels haunted

Chelsea’s No. 9 jersey has chewed up Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuaín, Romelu Lukaku and more, yet Delap embraced it without hesitation. He broke the supposed curse in pre-season, scoring twice in three matches, then drilled home in the Premier League opener at Selhurst Park. Confidence, he says, “comes from chaos – if defenders hate playing against me, I’m doing my job.” That self-assurance, allied to ferocious pressing, already endears him to Stamford Bridge regulars.

Club World Cup test will measure Liam Delap’s mettle

A more severe examination awaits in Philadelphia, where Chelsea face Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final. Maresca insists he will start Delap because “big occasions are where big strikers announce themselves.” Drogba famously bulldozed through the 2012 Champions League final; Costa terrorised PSG and Liverpool in key title clashes. Replicating that impact on another global stage would fast-track Delap’s myth-making.

Stat pack: Numbers behind the hype

• 15 league goals for Ipswich last season, despite ranking 17th in the league for shot-creating actions
• Won 53% of aerial duels, the highest among U21 strikers in England’s top flight
• Completed 94 high-intensity presses per 90 minutes, placing him in Europe’s 92nd percentile
• Recorded a sprint speed of 35.1 km/h, fractionally behind Mudryk’s team-leading mark

Those metrics convinced Chelsea’s data department that Delap offered a profile missing since Costa’s exit: relentless running, ruthless finishing and old-school nastiness.

How Delap compares to Drogba and Costa

• Didier Drogba (age 24 when he joined Chelsea) – 388 minutes per goal in Ligue 1 before transfer
• Diego Costa (age 25) – 158 minutes per goal in La Liga before Premier League move
• Liam Delap (age 22) – 201 minutes per goal in Premier League relegation fight

While raw minutes-per-goal ratios lag slightly behind Costa’s, Delap is three years younger than Drogba was when he arrived. Dorigo argues that “trajectory matters more than totals; he is trending upward and learning fast.” The former defender expects Delap to finish the season in double figures across all competitions if he stays fit.

Maresca’s tactical tweaks to maximise the No. 9

Maresca has already:
1. Shifted the double pivot five metres higher to compress space and give Palmer passing lanes.
2. Instructed full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell to swing early crosses to Delap’s favoured near-post run.
3. Asked wingers Noni Madueke and Raheem Sterling to invert, freeing flank space for overlapping runs that drag markers away from the striker.

The aim is simple: flood the final third with service. Maresca jokes that Delap “eats crosses for breakfast,” and the manager sees no benefit in starving his new talisman.

What success would look like in Year One

Chelsea’s primary targets are a top-four Premier League finish and a deep FA Cup run, with the Club World Cup treated as a mid-season bonus. Internally, the staff believe 18 goals in all competitions is an achievable benchmark for their new spearhead. Beyond numbers, Delap must prove he can shoulder the spotlight that swallowed other expensive No. 9s. Early signs are positive: teammates praise his humility, and he has embraced media duties rather than dodging questions.

The Palmer factor: echoing Hazard’s influence

Palmer’s evolution into a genuine creator is pivotal. He topped Chelsea’s assist chart last season despite a late-winter injury dip. Dorigo sees shades of Hazard: “When Eden was at his peak, everything went through him. Palmer’s not at that level yet, but he can get there if he delivers week in, week out.” Delap, for his part, calls the former City man “the best passer I’ve ever played with,” a bold claim given their brief partnership so far.

Can the chemistry ignite Chelsea’s future?

Liam Delap and Palmer are 22 and 23 respectively, while the average age of Chelsea’s core is just 24.5. Club insiders speak of replicating the 2004-06 spine that grew together: Cech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba. Financially, Delap’s £30 million fee looks shrewd against recent benchmarks—much less than the £97.5 million splurged on Lukaku or the £58 million spent on Morata. The board hopes to end the revolving-door policy up front and build around a striker entering his prime.

What happens if the plan falters?

Chelsea’s hierarchy are mindful of prior misfires. Should Delap struggle, contingency options include:
• Sterling as a false nine in pressing games
• Academy prospect Jimmy-Jay Morgan stepping up in cup matches
• A January recall clause for loaned striker Armando Broja

However, sources stress the club will resist panic buys. The obsession is continuity, trusting that minutes and faith will allow Delap to refine decision-making and first-touch consistency.

Upcoming fixtures: baptism of fire

13 Sep – FIFA Club World Cup vs Palmeiras (Philadelphia)
17 Sep – Premier League vs Tottenham (away)
24 Sep – EFL Cup Third Round vs Oxford United (home)
28 Sep – Premier League vs Newcastle (home)

That four-game stretch will test endurance and mentality. Bury chances against Palmeiras, and Delap could propel Chelsea toward the world crown; fluff them, and critics will sharpen knives.

Final verdict on the new No. 9

Signing Liam Delap feels like a calculated gamble that finally addresses Chelsea’s striker void with youth, power and Premier League acclimatisation. If Cole Palmer truly becomes the “supply line from the gods,” Delap’s ceiling is frighteningly high. For now, supporters can dare to dream of thunderous headers on a rain-soaked west London night, Drogba style.

Opinion: Chelsea have cycled through countless forwards since 2017, but few possessed Delap’s blend of hunger, physique and upward curve. Back him with patience—as Arsenal did with Gabriel Jesus—and the Blues may have found the cornerstone of their next great era.