Delap A 'future England Number Nine' - Maresca

Chelsea head Enzo Maresca says he has nary uncertainty caller striker Liam Delap will go a "future England number nine" arsenic he prepares to make his Blues debut astatine nan Club World Cup.

The 22-year-old guardant joined successful a £30m woody from Ipswich earlier successful June to reunite pinch his erstwhile Manchester City academy manager.

Delap, who signed a six-year statement astatine Stamford Bridge, scored 12 goals successful 37 Premier League appearances past term.

Chelsea look Los Angeles FC successful their Club World Cup opener connected Monday (20:00 BST) successful Atlanta.

When asked astir Delap, who pulled retired of England work for nan European Under-21 Championship to subordinate Chelsea successful nan United States, Maresca said: "I said Liam tin beryllium England's number 9 erstwhile we faced Ipswich.

"Now he is simply a Chelsea player, I'm going to opportunity again, I don't person immoderate uncertainty that he tin beryllium successful nan early England number nine.

"We won pinch Manchester City's Under-23s - he scored 24, 25 goals that play - truthful he knows precisely what we tin springiness him, I cognize what Liam tin springiness us. It's a win-win. We for illustration Liam, Liam likes us, truthful it was an easy conversation."

Delap is among 4 caller players successful Chelsea's squad, on pinch returning loanee Andrey Santos and caller teenage signings Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Mike Penders.

But Maresca explained Delap will person to compete pinch chap striker Nicolas Jackson to gain a starting spot and refused to opportunity whether he will commencement astatine nan Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

He besides explained, without straight being asked astir it, that nan nine needs a caller near winger aft Chelsea paid a £5m punishment interest not to motion Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho, adding: "Jadon is not pinch us. So for judge that is simply a position that astir apt we request to do something.

"Also because, Misha [Mudryk] is not pinch us. At this infinitesimal we person Noni [Madueke], Pedro [Neto] and Ty [George] arsenic due wingers. So for judge thing is going to happen."

The Blues are expected to rekindle their liking successful Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens arsenic nan transfer model re-opens connected Monday, having had a £42m bid rejected for nan 20-year-old conscionable earlier nan Club World Cup.

They besides made an attack for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, but Maresca insists he still has religion successful nan likes of Robert Sanchez. He explained: "Robert is nan number one, we person Filip arsenic number two.

"Penders joins america successful nan adjacent fewer weeks to analyse, judge him and return a last decision. Then for Maignan aliases different players, I don't deliberation it's worthy talking astir them."