What Delap’s Chelsea move means for Palmer, Maresca and Jackson

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August 31, 2019. Manchester City U18s vs Everton U18s. Nobody would have taken any notice of the result but it has become a relevant match six years later.

City’s youth team would run out 3-0 winners. Cole Palmer scored twice – and was later sent off, but that’s not really the point. The player who set up both his goals that day? Liam Delap.

That match was just the fourth time Delap and Palmer had featured together for City’s U18s but it was a game that would foreshadow the relationship between the pair.

Four years later, Delap and Palmer started in England colours for the first time – in an U21 game against Luxembourg. This time Delap scored the goal, Palmer assisted it.

Those examples were in youth football – now the partnership is set to be tested at the highest level. Chelsea have agreed a deal to bring Delap to Stamford Bridge and reunite him with two key figures.

The other is head coach Enzo Maresca, who managed Delap when he was in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad – effectively their B-team.

Delap scored 27 goals in 22 matches for Maresca. Only one player has scored more for the Italian in his managerial career – and that’s Palmer.

The move is a major step up for Delap, especially compared to those City days, and could signal further success for Palmer, who has thrived since making his own move to west London.

Since those U18 days, Palmer and Delap have played together 33 times for City or England’s youth teams. They’ve won 28 and lost just twice.

In terms of points per game, Palmer only has a better record with one player in his career – City’s Bernardo Silva. His partnership with Delap is just as successful as the one he had with Rodri, who barely loses a game for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Will Jackson or Delap be Chelsea’s No 9?

To say that Delap just walks into the Chelsea team as Palmer’s best mate is slightly premature. Especially considering Palmer’s partnership with current No 9 Nicolas Jackson.

Palmer and Jackson have combined for a goal in seven different matches this season – and 15 overall since the latter moved to Stamford Bridge two years ago. The latest of those combinations came for the goal to put Chelsea ahead in the UEFA Conference League final.

“We speak to each other every day and we message each other after games,” said Palmer about his Jackson partnership last December. “We’re trying to work on our relationship to help us on the pitch and hopefully that work is showing.”

But the relationship between Palmer and Delap has the promise to be even better – even though Maresca described Jackson as “my perfect No 9” last season. That is because Jackson is a player who take can the ball into dangerous areas.

Jackson ranked 11th out of all Premier League players last season for progressive carries up the pitch, but his tally was not as good as that of Delap, who ranked second in the category – behind only Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga.

It is one of many metrics where Delap trumped Jackson last season, despite playing for a side ranked 15 places lower than Chelsea in the Premier League table.

Not only did Delap score more goals than Jackson – and record better shooting and conversion tallies – but he also missed nearly half as many big chances as the Chelsea striker.

“To compare Liam with Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, I think it’s a bit early,” said Maresca back in March.

“But for sure, in terms of style he’s that kind of player. They are all real nines. They are nines inside the box.”

It is high praise – and Delap can bring the clinical touch his future Chelsea team-mates missed last season, quite literally.

The Ipswich striker finished in the top 10 players in terms of xG overperformance – i.e how many extra goals he scored compared to the quality of chance.

In the same metric, three out of Chelsea’s first-choice front four finished in the top 10 most wasteful players in the Premier League last season.

Chelsea know full well what Delap can bring – he hassled and harried the Blues backline in a 2-0 win at Portman Road in December.

The forward got a goal and an assist that night. Delap had the answers, while neither Jackson nor even Palmer offered anything in response.

Given all the numbers and the history shared by Delap, Maresca and Palmer, this move makes perfect sense.

Follow the transfer window on Sky Sports

The first of two summer transfer windows is upon us – and there is no better place than Sky Sports to get all the latest transfer news and rumours.

Use the Sky Sports app and website for all your updates in our dedicated Transfer Centre and Premier League club blogs, plus live Q&As with our reporters throughout the summer.

The Transfer Show returns to Sky Sports News from Sunday June 1 for the start of the pre-Club World Cup window and will then be on every weeknight at 5pm and 7pm until the deadline on Tuesday June 10.

The summer transfer window will open again on Monday June 16 until Monday September 1 – with the deadline brought forward to 7pm this year.

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