Chelsea transfer target labelled 'best young player in the Premier League'

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Chelsea transfer target Liam Delap has been labelled as the ‘best young player in the Premier League’ by a former England star.

Delap has enjoyed an impressive first season in the English top flight having joined Ipswich Town this summer from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £20million.

The 21-year-old has notched up eight goals and two assists in his first 21 league appearances and is now widely tipped for a first senior call-up ahead of England's World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia in March.

Such goalscoring exploits have also seen the striker linked with a host of top clubs, with Chelsea and Manchester United said to be monitoring Delap’s availability.

And Shaun Wright-Phillips, who like Delap came through at City’s academy, can understand why the youngster is being linked with a big move as he heaped praised on the striker’s capabilities.

Asked who the best young player in the Premier League is, Wright-Phillips told Genting Casino: Liam Delap at the minute. I think he's been one of the youngsters that has really stood out this season.

‘I’ve been there, playing for a team at the bottom of the table as a younger player, and he's producing. He's someone that you can rely on.

‘Delap has all the attributes of a top-quality striker. He can hold the ball up when it needs to be held up, he can bring people into play.

‘He can play the role of a lone striker perfectly and he gets his shots off, is always a handful.

‘If he does get a move in the summer, then his experience at Ipswich this season will be so beneficial for him. If he moved to a better team, I think he would score more goals and look like an even deadlier player.

‘He’s the focal point of a newly promoted club. That's not easy. He's very aggressive and he’s done tremendously well for Ipswich this season. He is one player I will be keeping my eye on. 

Wright-Phillips also admitted that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Delap in a Three Lions shirt sooner rather than later.

‘If Liam Delap was called up by Tuchel, there wouldn’t be any argument from me,’ the former England international said.

‘I'm not sure if he will, I think there are probably a few strikers that are ahead of him in the pecking order, but who knows.

‘He's certainly playing well and has proven that he is a player that can operate in the Premier League.

‘I’m a true believer that if you’re playing well, you deserve the opportunity to play for England.

‘I think he's a similar player to Dom Solanke, another striker that has been playing well this season, but they both can do similar things. I think Solanke may just be ahead of him, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if he was part of Tuchel's first England squad.’

Delap is expected to be back leading the line for Ipswich on Saturday as the Tractor Boys face a tricky visit to Anfield to face league leaders Liverpool.

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