Man Utd told ‘throwback’ £30m striker would suit them ‘down to the ground’

Ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster believes ‘throwback’ Ipswich striker Liam Delap would suit his former club ‘down to the ground’.

Delap has enjoyed an outstanding first full season in the Premier League having left Manchester City for Portman Road last summer following three separate loan moves.

While Ipswich’s relegation is now all but confirmed, the 22-year-old forward has managed to enhance his reputation with an impressive return of 12 goals and two assists in the English top flight, which has won him plenty of admirers.

The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and United have all been credited with an interest and the bombshell revelation that Delap has a £30million relegation release clause in his contract has only intensified speculation of an impending transfer.

Recent reports claimed United were the frontrunners to wrap up an agreement for Delap, with Ruben Amorim crying out for extra firepower up front after a poor campaign for both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

But according to Foster, the Red Devils will likely have to fight off competition from upwards of ten other clubs if they are to complete a deal for the England Under-21 international.

‘Liam Delap’s agent has produced here like you would not believe!’ the former England and United ‘keeper said of Delap’s relegation release clause on his Ben Foster – The Cycling GK YouTube channel.

‘He deserves all of the pats on the back from Liam that he’s going to get.

‘What’s going to happen now is: Liam Delap is going to have, I would say, the best part of ten to 12 big-boy teams looking at him.

‘And they will not only looking at him, they will be wanting to sign him and getting into his agent, saying, “Bring him to us, we will give him a £10m signing on fee, we’ll give him £150,000-a-week”, he will have ten of them doing it.

‘The agent will then go to the next club and go, “They’ve offered us £150,000-a-week and £10m so if you can just beat that by £160,000 or £170,000″… honestly.’

Foster is confident Delap would be a perfect addition for one of United, Chelsea or Arsenal, who are all scouring the market for a proven No.9 ahead of the summer transfer window.

‘He is probably the hottest property player in the Premier League at this moment in time,’ Foster added.

‘He would suit Manchester United down to the ground, he would suit Chelsea down to the ground, I think he would do well for Arsenal.

‘All the teams we’ve mentioned there. He’s a throwback.’

Former United defender Paul Parker echoed Foster’s comments while speaking to Betano, though went a step further, suggesting there was ‘no better club’ for Delap than the Old Trafford giants.

‘I think Liam Delap needs to join a club who are going to utilise him as much as possible,’ Parker said.

‘I don’t think he’d be a good back-up option, because you can see that he just wants to play football and score goals all the time.

‘I think Manchester United would be a perfect fit for him. He needs to join a club where he’ll be the first-choice striker for every single game, and in this moment in time, United would fall into that category.

‘Some people will ask, “Why would he want to join Manchester United in their current state?”, but you go to Manchester United to make a name for yourself.

‘It’s meant to be a challenge, and it’s a bigger challenge going to Old Trafford now than it would have been if they’d perhaps just missed out on the Premier League title.

‘I think Delap has got that about him – he won’t be fazed about being judged from the moment he’s there and he’d be willing to accept that challenge.

‘I believe that if he’s got ambitions and wanting to try and win things and make a name for himself, there’s no better club for that at the moment than Manchester United.’

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