Chelsea have signed striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town on a contract until 2031 after activating his £30m release clause.
The clubs reached an agreement last week for the England Under-21 international, who will become the Blues' first summer signing and will be able to join the squad straight away thanks to FIFA's 10-day transfer window in June.
This will give him a chance to participate in the upcoming Club World Cup in the USA, although if he goes with the team it means he will miss the 2018 European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia.
The 22-year-old commented on the club's official website: “I understand the status of this club and I see the direction it is heading with these players and the head coach.
“It will be a fantastic place for me to develop and I hope to achieve great results here and help the club win more trophies.”
Chelsea have reportedly rejected interest from Manchester United, with the Old Trafford side's lack of European football next season believed to have influenced the player's choice of west London.
Enzo Maresca's side will be in the Champions League after finishing fourth in his first season in charge, the first time the club has qualified for Europe's premier competition since 2022.
Delap's signing means the pair will reunite after working together in Manchester City's Under-23s side when Maresca was their coach in 2020/21 and then with the first team when the Italian was Pep Guardiola's assistant.
Delap made just six appearances for City's first team, scoring one goal, before spending time on loan at Stoke City, Preston and Hull.
Despite Ipswich's relegation from the Premier League triggering his release clause, he adapted quickly to the top flight, scoring 12 goals in his first full season in the division – by far his best goalscoring tally – despite spending most of his senior career in the Championship.
Chelsea have been short of strikers this season, with injuries to Nicholas Jackson and Mark Guiou leaving the team without a healthy striker for parts of the season.
Of the two, only Jackson has scored in the Premier League and the need for serious competition and support for the Senegalese international has long been evident.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
