Liam Delap's Chelsea Future in Doubt as Como Shows Interest

Liam Delap’s Chelsea stint may be over almost as soon as it began, with Como moving to prise the striker away after a bruising first year in London.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reports that the ambitious Italian club have made an initial approach for Delap, who joined Chelsea only last summer but endured a miserable debut campaign. For a player once tipped as a long-term project, the conversation has quickly shifted to damage limitation.

Como return to Chelsea market

Como know exactly where to shop. Having just completed a deal for Trevoh Chalobah from Stamford Bridge, they have gone back to the same well and identified Delap as a priority target.

Romano describes the former Ipswich forward as “high on the shortlist” for Cesc Fabregas’ side, who are scrambling to bring in a striker with only two weeks left in the window. Time is against them, and that urgency has pushed Delap’s name to the forefront of their plans.

For Chelsea, the timing feels convenient. Delap’s stock has sunk after a first season that never really got going, and both club and player now look aligned on the idea that a clean break might be best.

Loan or permanent exit?

At this stage, there is no clear indication that Como’s move is for a loan. That matters. Any temporary switch abroad would occupy one of Chelsea’s limited foreign loan slots, a resource the club guard carefully as they juggle a bloated squad and a long list of loanees.

Given Delap still has several years left on his contract, a loan remains a realistic option, especially if there is hope he can rebuild value in Serie A. But with his market at a low point and Chelsea under pressure to trim the squad, a permanent exit cannot be ruled out.

What is clear is that, after just a year at Stamford Bridge, Delap is already standing at a crossroads – and Como are trying to make sure the next chapter of his career is written on the shores of Lake Como rather than in west London.