Chelsea on the verge of their latest transfer miracle

31 Jul 2026 12:24 BST | 3 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

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Chelsea are poised to complete their latest transfer miracle, with Xabi Alonso’s side preparing a deal that will make their Premier League rivals envious.

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While the signings of the Stamford Bridge side continues to provoke curiosity as the Blues have swung from signing youngsters to veterans in the form of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, there is no doubt that the Blues get one area of their transfer policy right almost every time.

Amid the churn of players in West London, there can be little doubt that Chelsea get their sales right almost every time – and their latest might just be one of their best.

The final straw for Delap

Having scored two goals in 41 appearances last season, there is little doubt that the stock of striker Liam Delap has tumbled since he arrived at Chelsea in a €35.5 million move from Ipswich little over a year ago.

When he joined the Blues, he was seen as their front-line striker. Instead, he was quickly relegated to second choice following the surprise arrival of Joao Pedro from Brighton.

While the Brazilian has thrived, Delap has wilted.

This was amply displayed in Alonso’s first match at the helm of the club. In the 6-4 friendly win against Western Sydney Wanderers, he struggled to link play or provide an effective outlet for his side after an hour on the pitch. While a group of largely untested young players around him shone, he stood out as a weak link.

Joao Pedro came on in the closing stages and scored a hat-trick against their A-League opponents, throwing in an assist for good measure.

With the added competition in attack of Emmanuel Emegha and, potentially, Nicolas Jackson if he is not loaned out again, his opportunities will be scant.

Chelsea’s genius laid bare

A sale is the natural course of action for Chelsea, yet this is where the club will really work its magic.

Delap arrived in a €35.5m deal at a time his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) say at €37m.

At that point, the Englishman’s stock was on the up, but after a season of rank mediocrity, there is little doubt he is not held in the same esteem.

And yet, instead of Chelsea taking a hit on the player, they are poised to make a profit amid interest from Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Everton, according to a report from The I.

The Blues have set their starting price for the striker between €41m-€47m – putting them in line to profit by over 20% of the player’s initial transfer fee.

In the meantime, Delap’s ETV has stayed static over the past 12 months, supported by the five years he has remaining on his Chelsea deal.

Verdict: Outstanding work from Chelsea

This is incredible work from Chelsea and goes some way to showing how the club can limit the damage from flop signings – with Delap undoubtedly falling into that category after a two-goal campaign.

While FootballTransfers’ algorithm suggests his transfer value has essentially not moved, the Blues are ready to land a profit that could exceed €10m on a player whose worth to the club has dropped and whose popular perception has plummeted.

Chelsea’s transfer policy continues to raise eyebrows, but if they get what they want for Delap, it will be for positive reasons this time.