Chelsea striker Liam Delap has been told he can leave Stamford Bridge this summer, as the club look to trim down their huge first-team squad. The 23-year-old endured a nightmare debut season in west London, scoring just once in the Premier League and twice overall in an injury-hit campaign. Chelsea now appear keen to cash in on him before the transfer window's September 1st deadline, especially following the arrival of Danny Welbeck from Brighton.
Chelsea are demanding £40m for Delap, which would represent a £10m profit for the west Londoners. However, Como might struggle to strike up a deal for the Englishman, who wants to stay in the Premier League. Delap has been part of Chelsea's pre-season tour of Australia and Asia this summer, despite ongoing speculation over his future. The Serie A side are managed by former Blues star Cesc Fabregas, who sealed qualification for Europe's premier competition with a fourth-place finish in Serie A last term.
With Delap appearing unwilling to leave English football, this considerably narrows down where he could go next. While Newcastle and Everton have both been credited with interest, this hasn't progressed into any concrete offers. Chelsea are looking to make a profit on Delap, despite a tough debut season in west London. The arrival of Danny Welbeck from Brighton bolstered the Blues forward line, which also boasts 15-goal striker Joao Pedro from last season.
Delap's future lies away from Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea keen to reduce their attacking options this summer. The next step for Delap will be to see if any Premier League clubs can meet Chelsea's £40m demand, or if he will be forced to consider a move to Italy.