Liam Delap's Future: Everton's Long-Standing Interest

Liam Delap. The name just keeps circling back to Everton.

It has done for years. David Moyes has never really hidden how much he rates the striker, and the club’s interest first hardened when Ipswich went down two seasons ago. That pursuit never truly cooled. It just went quiet.

Now the noise is back.

Chelsea door creaks open

Delap is at Chelsea these days, and Xabi Alonso may be about to crack the door open again before the window shuts. The striker’s future is edging towards a decision, and once more Everton are hovering.

The Chronicle reports in its print edition that Como’s interest has stalled, with the player keen to stay in the Premier League. That stance has dragged Everton back into the conversation and, according to Tuesday’s report, put the club on “red alert” as the deadline looms.

Chelsea, though, want a serious profit. Any permanent deal is expected to be pitched at up to £40 million.

For a player with just one Premier League goal, that figure jars. It’s a huge outlay in this market for a forward who has barely had the chance to prove he can deliver at this level, and it makes a straight transfer from Everton – or Newcastle, who have also been linked – feel remote.

Everton’s striker puzzle

Everton are set to go into the new Premier League season with Thierno Barry and Beto as their main centre-forward options. There were flashes last term. Moments where both hinted at something more. But when it really mattered, neither produced consistently enough.

That’s why Delap’s name won’t go away. He represents another swing at solving a problem that has dogged the club for too long.

As September 1 creeps closer, the dynamic could change. If Chelsea decide Delap has no place in Alonso’s plans, they may have to soften their stance. The Chronicle suggests a loan move, potentially with an option or obligation to buy, could come into play if Stamford Bridge chiefs simply want him out.

For Everton, that would be close to perfect. It would add another body up front without smashing the budget, and it would buy time to see whether Delap can finally turn potential into production.

A crowded, powerful front line

There is a catch. If Delap arrives, Everton would have three strikers cut from a similar cloth.

Barry, Beto and Delap are all powerful, physical forwards. None are known for blistering pace in behind. It would give Moyes a front line built on strength and presence, but not much variety. The recruitment question becomes whether adding another similar profile truly changes the attack, or just thickens the numbers.

For now, Barry and Beto look likely to stay. Interest has grown around them, but they haven’t been pushed onto the market. Depth, on paper, looks welcome. The balance of that depth is another matter.

What’s clear is this: with the Premier League season just three days away, Delap’s situation is one of the late-window stories to watch.

Everton have circled his name for years. They may not get a better chance than this one to finally draw a line under the chase.