Manchester City, one of the leading football clubs in England, is reportedly preparing to sell striker Liam Delap in this summer's transfer window. The 21-year-old has yet to establish himself as a first-team player at Etihad Stadium since joining from Derby County's academy in 2019.
Delap made an impressive start with the Citizens' Under-23s squad, scoring 35 goals in just 36 appearances. However, despite his early promise, he struggled during loan spells at Stoke City and Preston North End during the challenging 2022-23 campaign where he scored only four goals across 38 games.
The young striker was given another chance to prove himself with Hull City this season. He managed eight goals in 31 league appearances as Hull narrowly missed out on Championship playoffs - finishing seventh and three points behind the top six.
Man City may opt for buy-back clause for Delap
Despite having two years remaining on his contract at Etihad Stadium, Delap’s long-term future remains uncertain. According to The Sun newspaper report, Man City is open to offers of around £10m for their young striker this summer. It is also suggested that they may want to include a 'buy-back' clause if any deal goes through for the England Under-21 international.
Pep Guardiola's plans do not seem likely to include Delap anytime soon; hence a permanent exit could be imminent after three separate loan spells.
Many potential suitors for Liam Delap
The future of Liam Delap, whether he would prefer to continue his development in the Championship or test himself further by moving up into the Premier League next season, remains uncertain. However, several clubs have shown potential interest in acquiring him.
Hull City could be interested in retaining Delap as they aim for promotion again next season. The striker would likely be assured of regular first-team football under manager Liam Rosenior. However, spending around £10m on one player could prove challenging for Hull unless they negotiate a mandatory buy option with Man City should they secure promotion to the top flight next season.
Southampton had previously shown interest in Delap and even had a £16m offer rejected by Man City back in 2022. It is unclear whether Southampton still holds an interest in the young striker.
Other potential suitors include Sheffield United and Burnley, both teams from England's second-tier league. Interestingly, Burnley is managed by Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany who might see value in signing a player of Delap's calibre.
However, spending around £10m on one player could be challenging for some clubs unless they negotiate a mandatory buy option with Man City should they secure promotion to the top flight next season.
