Enzo Maresca has tipped Liam Delap to become 'an important player for England' ahead of Chelsea's trip to Ipswich Town on Monday night.
Delap, 21, has been a shining light in Ipswich's relegation battle, hitting six goals just before the halfway point of his first Premier League season. And a number of top sides, including Chelsea, are reportedly keeping tabs on his progress.
Maresca worked closely with Delap after being appointed as manager of Manchester City's Elite Development Squad in 2020. At that point Delap was tearing up City's youth ranks, and he remained on the books at the Etihad Stadium until Ipswich completed a £20million permanent deal in July.
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Leading up to their forthcoming meeting, Maresca reflected on his time working with the young striker and fanned the flames of transfer speculation by talking up his potential.
"Liam is a fantastic player, and also for his age," said the Italian. "I think we spent one year together and he scored [about] 22 to 24 goals. He is a very good striker. England have many good players, many good strikers [but] he's working hard off the ball and on the ball, understands the game and can score goals. I think he can be an important player for England."
Delap is on course for his most prolific season yet, having hit single figures in the previous two campaigns, which included loan spells at Stoke, Preston and Hull.
City reportedly have a buy-back clause on the England U21 international whose father, Rory, became a Premier League icon due to his long throw-ins. But it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola's side would be interested in triggering it with the immovable Erling Haaland still leading the line.
Chelsea will be desperate to return to winning ways on Monday, having fallen to an agonising last-minute defeat at home to Fulham last time out and only managed a goalless draw at Everton four days prior.
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Those results have left Chelsea seven points behind table-toppers Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Maresca has always maintained that his squad is not ready to win the league title - he just wants to see a reaction against the Tractor Boys.
"We never thought we would win every game," said the 44-year-old. "We lost on the 18 August, and then after two months, and then after two months. But we know the reality is not just to lose one game every two months. It’s a matter of how we react and try to go again."
