Liam Delap | £30m release clause?

2 man midfield said:
This feels like the sort of thing I’ve said in the last few summer windows. Something along the lines of ‘I hope the club/manager sees something I don’t, because on the face of it this is a baffling decision’, only for that thing to happen like we all thought it would.

Things like signing mason mount, paying 85m for Antony, signing old players like Casemiro, not signing a striker for like 3 years, extending the contracts of players who only show up when it’s time to sign them…

Not saying I know better than the club, but there’s some things that you can just tell aren’t going to work before we do them.
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Though in Delap's case if it does turn out to be a mistake then at least it's a mistake on the Depay/Schneiderlin end of the price scale rather than the Antony/Casemiro end.

A lot of factors go into transfers, but there's a lot to be said for players being (relatively) cheap.

Cunha is the buy that needs to work. Because aside from the £61m fee, he's already on quite big wages at Wolves so will be one of our best paid players.
 
golden_blunder said:
At the end of the day Wilcox and McKenna will know this player inside out and where they think he can get too. Also speaks volumes the other teams that are being linked to him, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle to name a few
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To be fair, Arsenal and Liverpool were sniffing around Mason Mount and now they're glad they dodged that bullet.

Delap is a great signing for a top team who has an attack that already scores a lot of goals and is looking for another option in their squad, for £30m it's an absolute bargain. For a team who has an established experienced older striker already and they want a younger less experienced player to rotate with him and develop further over years to hopefully become the main man, it would make perfect sense.

United are in a dire situation where we have no attackers who can score a goal and we're asking Liam Delap and come in and rescue that situation for us, starting every game week in week out because we have no other credible striker.

If he had two successful seasons under his belt in the premier league I'd feel a lot better about this. Just one PL season, off the back of 8 championship goals last season makes me think he's probably not going to be ready to deliver what we need from him.
 
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Dominos said:
To be fair, Arsenal and Liverpool were sniffing around Mason Mount and now they're glad they dodged that bullet.

Delap is a great signing for a top team who has an attack that already scores a lot of goals and is looking for another option in their squad, for £30m it's an absolute bargain. For a team who has an established experienced quality striker already and they want a younger less experienced player to rotate with him and develop further over years, it makes perfect sense.

United are in a dire situation where we have no attackers who can score a goal and we're asking Liam Delap and come in and rescue that situation for us, starting every game week in week out because we have no other credible striker.
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We're not asking him to come in and rescue that situation. We're asking him to be part of a new look front 3 that comes in and rescues this situation. There's a difference.
 
Still ill said:
We're not asking him to come in and rescue that situation. We're asking him to be part of a new look front 3 that comes in and rescues this situation. There's a difference.
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As our centre forward he's got the biggest responsibility to score.

We're also unlikely to be signing 3, 4 new attackers. It's going to end up Cunha + Delap, and I like the Cunha signing, but it's still a lot to ask of Delap particularly when you consider there is no other striker anyone wants to see on the team sheet.
 
sullydnl said:
Though in Delap's case if it does turn out to be a mistake then at least it's a mistake on the Depay/Schneiderlin end of the price scale rather than the Antony/Casemiro end.

A lot of factors go into transfers, but there's a lot to be said for players being (relatively) cheap.

Cunha is the buy that needs to work. Because aside from the £61m fee, he's already on quite big wages at Wolves so will be one of our best paid players.
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Yeah Delap is a low risk signing, and I’m behind it 100%. I just wish he wasn’t the only striker coming in, as relying on an unproven 21 year old to score all your goals is something we’re already doing now. Those same concerns were expressed when Hojlund was signed as well, so it feels a bit deja vu.

And so while it’s true that he’s cheap, and if he doesn’t work then we’ll recoup what we paid for him, we’ll have probably endured another shit season with very few goals just to find that out. Hence I think we need someone to help lighten the load, even a free transfer like Jonathan David.
 
Dominos said:
As our centre forward he's got the biggest responsibility to score.

We're also unlikely to be signing 3, 4 new attackers. It's going to end up Cunha + Delap, and I like the Cunha signing, but it's still a lot to ask of Delap particularly when you consider there is no other striker anyone wants to see on the team sheet.
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Yeah that's exactly why I have serious concerns about seemingly no intention to sign experienced striker for him to learn from
 
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Was just watching McKola saying that he'd take this lad over Gyokeres. For me, if there's any chance of getting the latter at all, we should pay the extra money.

Gyokeres is basically the best possible version of Delap's future if he absolutely nails it and becomes the finished product. Might as well cut the corner and get that version rather than take a gamble again.
 
2 man midfield said:
Yeah Delap is a low risk signing, and I’m behind it 100%. I just wish he wasn’t the only striker coming in, as relying on an unproven 21 year old to score all your goals is something we’re already doing now. Those same concerns were expressed when Hojlund was signed as well, so it feels a bit deja vu.

And so while it’s true that he’s cheap, and if he doesn’t work then we’ll recoup what we paid for him, we’ll have probably endured another shit season with very few goals just to find that out. Hence I think we need someone to help lighten the load, even a free transfer like Jonathan David.
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Yeah needs someone to help take pressure off
 
Von Mistelroum said:
Was just watching McKola saying that he'd take this lad over Gyokeres. For me, if there's any chance of getting the latter at all, we should pay the extra money.

Gyokeres is basically the best possible version of Delap's future if he absolutely nails it and becomes the finished product. Might as well cut the corner and get that version rather than take a gamble again.
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It doesn’t seem like he’s a realistic target. Otherwise we would have definitely gone for him given the Amorim links.
 
It's clear we don't have a huge budget this summer. I don't think Delap is nearly as good as some of the other options on the market, but those options would cost a feck lot more.

Those things considered, I think he's a shrewd piece of business. Just signing someone who can fecking put the ball in the back of the net, will make a huge difference in our squad.
 
croadyman said:
Yeah that's exactly why I have serious concerns about seemingly no intention to sign experienced striker for him to learn from
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When has this really been a thing and actually proven to be a system? It gets said loads on here. I'd just like some examples of this older striker mentor to young up and coming striker. Maybe my brain is having a moment, I'm just drawing a blank.
 
Hojlund has the tools to be a good player, but it can’t be denied that, right now, Delap is coping a lot better with the premier league. He looks a lot more comfortable and confident. Maybe we can break him, too.
 
Judas said:
When has this really been a thing and actually proven to be a system? It gets said loads on here. I'd just like some examples of this older striker mentor to young up and coming striker. Maybe my brain is having a moment, I'm just drawing a blank.
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Even if true, it was probably only true in very succesful teams where such an experienced striker (Eto’o?) had a good impact role to begin with, where he also added competition.

Problem is: If said old striker can do it for an average team instead of a top team, then the guy he’s supposed to mentor probably isn’t that good in the first place.
 
I think he’s a player that gets underrated. Has some of the same explosiveness and low gravity like Bowen and just appears at the right times. Also a decent finisher. Work rate is high too. I hate to say it out loud as it will get twisted/misunderstood, but there’s elements of Wayne Rooney in him too, just a light version. And of course he’s not the same level.

At 30m for a guy who might be content as a sub too long term, I think he’s worth it.
 
For £30m I think it's a no brainier. He's miles better than Hoilund, which I know isn't saying much, but still. We should be able to recoup at least £20m by selling the waster
 
Considering that what we need is a clear-cut first XI striker, it's hard not to feel this is a bit of a gamble. If it was a backup we needed, it'd look like a no-brainer, at that price.
 
If delap is our prime option for no.9 and we've decided to blow up the bulk of our budget on Cunha, then I guess the plan is to equally distribute goal scoring responsibilities between Delap, Cunha and Bruno (or amad).

Zirkzee and rasmus ofcourse are other options. We will likely not be looking at a 20 goal a season striker but more like 12-15 each from All if them in the PL.
 
I like him and think he's a no brainer for the price tag. We recoup enough of that in sell on in a worse case scenario. My only issue if he's our sole addition in the striker department is similar to when we signed Rasmus. He's so young and inexperienced at the top level to be the lead attacker for a club like ours.

People can scoff but playing for Utd - and the scrutiny that comes with it - is incomparable to anything else in the Premier League. I'd feel much more comfortable with this move in the short term of we added a Mateta or someone similar alongside him.
 
AndySmith1990 said:
For £30m I think it's a no brainier. He's miles better than Hoilund, which I know isn't saying much, but still. We should be able to recoup at least £20m by selling the waster
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Hojlund isn't a waster in fairness, he does try, he just either hasn't had the luck or doesn't have what it takes, doesn't make him a waster.

Now Sancho, IMO is a waster, just can't be arsed most of the time.

But yeah, Hojlund needs to move to benefit himself and the club, seems broken here.
 
Still ill said:
We're not asking him to come in and rescue that situation. We're asking him to be part of a new look front 3 that comes in and rescues this situation. There's a difference.
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He'd still be the No.9 for United. It's a big old job to have. Rarely do we put it on the shoulders of anyone 22 and below.
 
groovyalbert said:
I like him and think he's a no brainer for the price tag. We recoup enough of that in sell on in a worse case scenario. My only issue if he's our sole addition in the striker department is similar to when we signed Rasmus. He's so young and inexperienced at the top level to be the lead attacker for a club like ours.

People can scoff but playing for Utd - and the scrutiny that comes with it - is incomparable to anything else in the Premier League. I'd feel much more comfortable with this move in the short term of we added a Mateta or someone similar alongside him.
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I'd even take Delap if we offered David a 3 year deal as whether he has PL experience or not, he has experience at the top level whether that's through his NT where he has a 1 in 2 record like he did at Lille & Gent and has 9 goal contributions in 10 games in the CL this year and is FREE!
 
I have not seen much of him, but what I have seen I like, he is a unit and can finish, not sure he is rapid speed wise but given how slow our build up play is, don't see that as an issue.

£30m is a no brainer, especially if we have a very limited budget, brining him him and Cunha, if each got 15 goals would be a massive upgrade, our defence generally looks sound (apart from Onana) and we are losing games which we should/could have scored early in and then drop off when we create nothing.

Whether or not be buy another striker is a big dilemma, will depend to a degree on what is happening with Hojlund and how Amorim rates Obi (or the other youth prospects we have), bringing in 2 strikers, relegating Hojlund and Zirkzee to the bench and Obi back to the kids table will create problems, different when we used to play with 2 strikers but playing 1 striker creates issues, this is why a player like Cunha who can play 9 or 10 is good sense, we could do with another player who can step up into the 9 as auxiliary (and not Maguire)
 
AngeloHenriquez said:
I'd even take Delap if we offered David a 3 year deal as whether he has PL experience or not, he has experience at the top level whether that's through his NT where he has a 1 in 2 record like he did at Lille & Gent and has 9 goal contributions in 10 games in the CL this year and is FREE!
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David is an excellent striker. Clever, two footed, hard working and has great movement.

I still don’t think he’s suited to the PL though. He can’t really play lone striker and he’s not creative enough to be a 10 in a 3-4-2-1.

He’d be great at a club that plays a two man striker system.
 
Why is it now the norm that young players have to be number 1 or they wont come. The best thing Delap can do or any other young player is to go to a team with a proven player ahead of them. Just listen to Andy Cole or any other ex united player. They always bang on how good it was to learn from top players and how that helped them become better. Yoro was just talking about it. All our young players in the past were supported by experienced players. It's crucial to their development and to just take the pressure off them. If we had a good experienced striker then Hojlund would be fine. Everyone will just say he's having a blip but will come good next year and just needs time.

Delap needs an experienced striker ahead of him. If we managed to get Gykores/Oshimen then he will have 3/4 years still getting lots of games and given the time with less pressure to grow. Then they can take the number 1 spot.
What will happen now is that Delap will come in and have a decent season. 10/12 goals. Then he will dip and everyone will say Hojlund is better and we should never have signed him. Or that he is but we need more goals. Then we will repeat the same sht round and round and round. How long till Delap gets to Gykores/Oshimen levels? 3/4/5 years? Are we just waiting that out?
 
UpWithRivers said:
Why is it now the norm that young players have to be number 1 or they wont come. The best thing Delap can do or any other young player is to go to a team with a proven player ahead of them. Just listen to Andy Cole or any other ex united player. They always bang on how good it was to learn from top players and how that helped them become better. Yoro was just talking about it. All our young players in the past were supported by experienced players. It's crucial to their development and to just take the pressure off them. If we had a good experienced striker then Hojlund would be fine. Everyone will just say he's having a blip but will come good next year and just needs time.

Delap needs an experienced striker ahead of him. If we managed to get Gykores/Oshimen then he will have 3/4 years still getting lots of games and given the time with less pressure to grow. Then they can take the number 1 spot.
What will happen now is that Delap will come in and have a decent season. 10/12 goals. Then he will dip and everyone will say Hojlund is better and we should never have signed him. Or that he is but we need more goals. Then we will repeat the same sht round and round and round. How long till Delap gets to Gykores/Oshimen levels? 3/4/5 years? Are we just waiting that out?
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He’s got plenty of suitors, he’s not leaving Ipswich to be a backup. He’s one of the best young English strikers in the country, and good strikers are a pretty rare breed in modern football. I agree with your sentiment generally, but he’s a little too along the development stage. What we’re doing with eg Obi is more along with what you’re saying, hopefully he can learn from the likes of Delap if we manage to sign him.
 
UpWithRivers said:
Why is it now the norm that young players have to be number 1 or they wont come. The best thing Delap can do or any other young player is to go to a team with a proven player ahead of them. Just listen to Andy Cole or any other ex united player. They always bang on how good it was to learn from top players and how that helped them become better. Yoro was just talking about it. All our young players in the past were supported by experienced players. It's crucial to their development and to just take the pressure off them. If we had a good experienced striker then Hojlund would be fine. Everyone will just say he's having a blip but will come good next year and just needs time.

Delap needs an experienced striker ahead of him. If we managed to get Gykores/Oshimen then he will have 3/4 years still getting lots of games and given the time with less pressure to grow. Then they can take the number 1 spot.
What will happen now is that Delap will come in and have a decent season. 10/12 goals. Then he will dip and everyone will say Hojlund is better and we should never have signed him. Or that he is but we need more goals. Then we will repeat the same sht round and round and round. How long till Delap gets to Gykores/Oshimen levels? 3/4/5 years? Are we just waiting that out?
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Delaps got a shout of becoming Englands next #9 after Kane retires. He's got to be smart with his move.
 
Gonna make a prediction, if we buy him and if he’s the main striker alongside cunha and others feeding chances, he will score 20 goals next season
 
Chelsea in the hunt apparently.

Not being funny why would anyone want to go to bloody Chelsea? They're over encumbered!
 
2 man midfield said:
Yeah Delap is a low risk signing, and I’m behind it 100%. I just wish he wasn’t the only striker coming in, as relying on an unproven 21 year old to score all your goals is something we’re already doing now. Those same concerns were expressed when Hojlund was signed as well, so it feels a bit deja vu.

And so while it’s true that he’s cheap, and if he doesn’t work then we’ll recoup what we paid for him, we’ll have probably endured another shit season with very few goals just to find that out. Hence I think we need someone to help lighten the load, even a free transfer like Jonathan David.
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Delap is gonna have a Martial-ish debut season for us. You heard it here first.
 
golden_blunder said:
Gonna make a prediction, if we buy him and if he’s the main striker alongside cunha and others feeding chances, he will score 20 goals next season
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That is bold. I can't see any striker scoring 20 goals for us next season unless there are huge changes all over the team.
 
I do wonder what people are expecting us to do. This summer, more than most, we need a minimum of four signings. We’re not going get that by spending over £50 million on each signing, there will have to be compromises over the next few years, I’m even surprised we’re looking at Cunha for that price as I thought we’d be going for less established players.

We have got a fair bit of inside knowledge on Delap via Wilcox, so if he thinks that mentally he’s got what it takes, I’d be happy to go with that. At least there’s no financial risk to the transfer, it could just mean another frustrating season with a lack of goals. But just for reference, Delap has the same amount of league goals as Sesko in the bundesliga and is close to a third of the price.
 
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