Blues striker Liam Delap’s relegation release clause, which seems certain to be activated this summer, is reportedly £30 million.

The existence of clauses in the £15 million-plus-£5 million-top-ups deal Town agreed with Manchester City last summer have been known since the time of the move, but with Blues CEO Mark Ashton keeping his cards close to his chest when quizzed on them recently.

Now, according to The Guardian, should Town go down, which barring a miracle they are set to do, the 22-year-old will be available for £30 million, not the higher figures which have previously been rumoured.

City are known to have included a 20 per cent sell-on in the deal, thereby further reducing the sum the Blues will receive for their 12-goal top scorer.

As previously reported, Chelsea and Manchester United, whose technical director Jason Wilcox knows the England U21 international from his time at the Etihad, are leading the chase for Delap, who has caught the eye of top clubs in England and also Europe in an outstanding first season in the top flight.

Tottenham were reported to have sent a scout to watch him at the weekend, while Newcastle and Liverpool are also believed to have shown interest, along with Juventus.

City are widely known to have included a buy-back clause in the deal but are not understood to be eyeing a reunion this summer.

Photo: Matchday Images

Rootshall91 added 16:43 - Apr 9 Damn, that’s lower than we hoped.
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trevski_s added 16:44 - Apr 9 "According to the Guardian" not the most trustworthy of sources
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flykickingbybgunn added 16:49 - Apr 9 We shall see what we shall see. I dont think I believe the Grauniad. It is really the "Manchester" Grauniad after all.
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Freddies_Ears added 16:51 - Apr 9 Does that mean no club need bid more than £30m? In the end if one bid £30m and another £60m, he could choose to join the club who offered the release amount?
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flykickingbybgunn added 16:55 - Apr 9 Lots of other places stating that the release clause is £40m. Which goes to show that it's just a load of jurnos making copy.
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Suffolkboy added 16:55 - Apr 9 We must wait and see ! As yet LD is still a relatively rough diamond but has tremendous potential ! Will ITFC be willing to release him?, would we bargain for more? - are the clauses negotiable ? - has MA added in further protections ? COYB let’s not be faint hearted !
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superblues9 added 16:56 - Apr 9 We all knew that anyway and why would someone offer more if they know they only have to offer £30 million
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Wallingford_Boy added 17:02 - Apr 9 Suffolkboy - “Will ITFC be willing to release him”…. Not sure you really get how release clauses work! We have no say!
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Stato added 17:06 - Apr 9 no doubt Aston has offered a new contract but maybe he has his mind made up on a move to someone like Utd
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warfarinman69 added 17:09 - Apr 9 Everyone seems to think he will want to go. I think he might want to stay. In which case a release clause is irrelevant. If both club and LD are happy he'll stay. Anyway, why move to sit on the bench somewhere. His dad is a wise old owl too.
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MickMillsTash added 17:09 - Apr 9 we got the bargain of the century by signing him for 15Mill Looks like someone will better that in the summer. Can we sign him on. a new contract with a 60 Mill release clause and give him and his agent £10Mill signing on fee? A 'Cunha' deal ?
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SuffolkPunch70 added 17:10 - Apr 9 My understanding of a release clause is just that, at the value stated (30m, 40m, whatever), the club cannot say no. It does not mean that is the only value we can get for him. It also does not mean that the player has to accept any of those offers, even if the club do.
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SuffolkPunch70 added 17:10 - Apr 9 My understanding of a release clause is just that, at the value stated (30m, 40m, whatever), the club cannot say no. It does not mean that is the only value we can get for him. It also does not mean that the player has to accept any of those offers, even if the club do.
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gsoly added 17:14 - Apr 9 IF true, this feels like very poor management from Ashton. Including City's 20% clause, this means the club would profit a maximum of £9m? If we've paid £15m to City and not met any of the add ons. I'm not sure that stacks up.
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chorltonskylineblue added 17:25 - Apr 9 To the posters saying the story is not trustworthy, it's an exclusive by 3 respected football journos including Ipswich fan Nick Ames!
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grinch added 17:37 - Apr 9 trustworthy source. Was the deal on table for Ashton and nothing much mre club could do. When he goes we make a profit on him unlike others we let go on freelike Haldky and most prob Burgess we will also lose more than likel on Hutchinson, clarke and philogene. Others like Muric and Greaves will be a loss aswell as not upto the task so Delap was good while it lasted. Manager will also cost a ot of money if Town want to sack him and his data team. Will be interesting first few months in Championship

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Bazza8564 added 17:43 - Apr 9 @phil, I think the guardian article is totally misleading. I don't doubt the player has the ability to trigger the release clause at £30m, but that is the MINIMUM figure that becomes payable. When the club decides it has an obligation to sell, that does not mean the fee is fixed at that level, it surely means the offer process must be accepted by the club. That process will undoubtedly mean bids coming in at a higher level. Thats why Man City have a percentage sell on not a fixed one based upon the £30m figure. With 6-7 suitors named today fairly widely, the club can surely sell to the highest bidder within that framework and meet it's obligation once the first £30m is received. Unless ive misunderstood the process entirely, we can therefore expect much more than some fans are fearing....

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ArnieM added 17:45 - Apr 9 A release fig of only £10m more than we paid for him. Hardly eye watering is it and pure chicken feed for PL clubs. We're giving him away.
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81Legends added 17:52 - Apr 9 I think a release clause basically hands full control of the transfer to the player. Potential buyers simply say they are triggering the release clause and they are then permitted to discus personal terms with the player and compete with each other on that basis. It may well be a bidding war, but not one where the selling club reaps any benefit in terms of a rising selling price. Delap was purchased early in the summer and it seems very short sighted to sign a young talent in the most lucrative league in the world on this basis. There is a need for serious learning both on and off the pitch after this season and you'd have to say that given the drop in asset value among certain players, it is beyond disappointing that our one major success (in the most sought after position of them all) will accrue very little return.

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Rootshall91 added 17:53 - Apr 9 If I were Man City I’d be very tempted to buy him for £27 million (£30 million less the 20% sell on). He is worth so much more than that and they could always sell him again at a huge profit. I don’t think it’s bad management by MA or town. It just goes to show how difficult it is for a promoted team to recruit - even up and coming potential stars with no premiership experience have agents who squeeze everything they can from a deal. We need to start growing our own stars….

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Bazza8564 added 17:55 - Apr 9 Suffolk punch above is correct, £30m is the release clause, if people think we are only going to get £30m please forget that, it's cobblers. Yes he can go at £30m, but we retain the right to sell him for anything above.City get a 20% profit, but at 60m thats only 8m. do the maths. Fee 20m, sells for 60m, profit 40m, city share 8m. We make nearly 40m Expect LD and Lief to move on this summer, the others are on 4-5 year deals and we have absolutely no need to sell. Don't understand why people are panicking, MA built the squad on long deals for this very reason. You get a daft profit, you take it, everybody else stays!

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atty added 18:01 - Apr 9 Ashton saying g “ the Club is well protected” . Hmm. Still l guess we were desperate to get him and couldn’t agree a better deal for the Club. Best if City came back for him, not likely, but at least no sell on!!,
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Broadbent23 added 18:17 - Apr 9 He needs to work with KMc for another year. Jumping ship too early will damage him as the expectations will be too high. There are loads of young stars who have chased the dollar and failed
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Bluewhiteboy added 18:18 - Apr 9 Release clause is what is says on the tin, clause in the contract. What ever that figure is a team only has to offer that amount. Why would they offer more??? It's clear delap and agent were confident in his ability and wanted to guarantee he had options. In reality a ten million profits still likeky over 50% profit.
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Rootshall91 added 18:26 - Apr 9 This thread demonstrates that a lot of people struggle with simple concepts! We are only going to get £27 million. £30 million less City’s 20% cut (just on the profit I hope rather than the whole amount).
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