Blues striker Liam Delap is reportedly set to undergo a medical at Chelsea on Monday.

TWTD revealed on Tuesday that the West Londoners were closing in on signing the 22-year-old, who spoke to a number of interested sides during the final couple of weeks of the season.

On Thursday, the West Londoners triggered the £30 million relegation release clause in the deal the England U21 international signed last summer and now, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, documents relating to the switch have been exchanged and a medical booked for Monday.

The Winchester-born frontman previously worked with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca during his spell as U21s manager at Manchester City where he came through the ranks alongside Cole Palmer.

Delap joined the Blues for an initial £15 million last summer from City, who are understood to be due 20 per cent of Town’s profit.

Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton has explained why when Delap joined Town last summer, the club had to agree to a contract which will see Delap move on for a fee most view as lower than his market value.

“The reality is that when there’s a high profile player who is wanted by several clubs you get presented with a term sheet – ‘those are the terms for the club’ and ‘those are the terms for the player’,” he told the EADT.

“You’re told, ‘If you want to talk to the player and give your pitch to sign him you have to agree to those terms because if you don't then there are six other clubs who will agree’.

“We speak to other clubs, we know the market, so we know that that’s not lies. So there is very little to negotiate. You’re taking it or you’re leaving it.”

Regarding his much-publicised comment that the club was well-protected regarding Delap, Ashton added: “You protect yourself to the best of your ability. The board and major shareholders all know what you’re getting into.

“That means, at that point in time, you are going to break the record purchase for the football club and if you sell that player you’re going to break the record sales for the football club.

“And also – remember, I'm not talking about any specific player – when that player moves on you retain a percentage of his future profit as well. You’re protected.

“With all our players we know where we are with them. The ownership know where the cash flows are with them. You have to look at it with an investment bank-like view across the board.

“As I said, I think a couple of players will leave the club this summer - not huge, not handfuls. One [Delap] has been very heavily publicised, hasn't been publicised by us.

“I think if I was an Ipswich fan I'd be frustrated at the amount of times that's been in the press, but when things are in the press, particularly the nationals, they’re in there for a reason and that will be agents or other clubs trying to unsettle players, trying to build markets for players etc.

“So all I can say to the fanbase is we have been as open and honest as we can be since we joined this football club. Every decision we make is in the best interest of this football club, but we have to deal with the market as it is. This football club is always protected moving forward.”

The short 10-day first mini-transfer window of the summer is set to open on Sunday. That has been introduced ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup but it’s understood Delap wouldn’t be able to play for Chelsea in that competition as he’ll be with the England U21s at the European Championship in Slovakia, that tournament taking precedence.

One-time Derby County academy youngster Delap played his final game for Town against West Ham United on Sunday, coming on as a second-half sub.

In total, he made 32 starts and eight sub appearances in his one campaign with the club, scoring 12 times.

Photo: Matchday Images

del45 added 11:06 - May 31 We now know how it all works during transfers.
3

victorysquad added 11:22 - May 31 It is of course disappointing to lose a player of Delaps potential, especially as Chelsea are only a club that can sign our players because of their past 15-20 years of success. I think we have to use this as fuel to hopefully be beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 3 years time. Either way, hopefully we have good relations now with Man City, Chelsea and Brighton, which is a great position to be in, and hopefully we can leverage those relationships this summer.

3

ArmaghBlue added 11:38 - May 31 Cheerio, won’t me missed!!
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Edmundo added 11:39 - May 31 We knew Man Ciry wanted a sell-on. We also knew we beat other clubs to Delap. So long as we have a sell-on and possibly other add-ons too then we have done good business. Can't be upset with Ashton on this. Though a few want to find ways to be.
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blues1 added 11:55 - May 31 Edmundo. Ur spot on. Absolutely nothing more the club could have done other than agree to the terms, or miss out on the signing. And Ashton has made it clear there, thsts theres a sell on clause, thus protecting us further should he move elsewhere for a profit, later. As u say, will always be some wholl criticise Ashton for this type of situation tho. Despite not knowing the facts about things. Well, now they know, bcse hes made it clear.

14

DifferentGravy added 11:59 - May 31 Best of luck to him. Did well for us in the short time he was here. Im not going to begrudge a youngster the opportunity to advance their career and we wont lose out on the deal. Whether he is good enough to make that step up to be an elite goalscorer/ regular international only time will tell. Unfortunately, Its rare to have top level players (Butcher, Holland etc) show such loyalty nowadays.

2

WhoisJimmyJuan added 12:01 - May 31 And it's business done early, which is a faint silver lining
6

oldelsworthyfan added 12:05 - May 31 Now we can set about buying a stronger midfield.
7

BeachBlue added 12:05 - May 31 I wish him all the best, but I think it's a mistake. Sorry, but I think he'll get lost in the mix at Chelsea and sent out on loan a year later. Coupled with Maresca, being unlikely to stay very long if they're not in the top four by Christmas. Not our problem, I know.
5

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 12:45 - May 31 Could go either way: sink or swim. Good luck and thanks for the time spent with us - and now let's get on with our own business and move forward.
5

muccletonjoe added 12:55 - May 31 Thanks for forwarding your career at the expense of our team. Give my love to the sub bench
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ArnieM added 13:08 - May 31 Any chance TWTD can find out what colour underwear LD likes and what hes had fir breakfadt and lunch today? There must be SOMETHING more we can be told about him that's not yet hit the " headlines"!
0

Widj123 added 14:02 - May 31 Another amazing transfer from our fabulous duo just like the rest. worst season in our history and still you back them crazy
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Skip73 added 14:02 - May 31 In 12 months time he may rejoin on loan. You never know..
3

Gforce added 14:19 - May 31 "A couple of players will leave the club this summer" ,I'm sure we'll soon find out who the other 1 or 2 players leaving the club are.
1

ArnieM added 14:30 - May 31 My monies on Hutchinson .... maybe even Davis
1

FreddySteady added 14:52 - May 31 It might actually turn out an ok move. There’s a lot being said about Chelsea’s young squad so he might get a chance. Might!
0

Dissboyitfc added 14:52 - May 31 If Hutchison has a 35 million release clause, cant see hes done enough to warrant anyone wanting to trigger this! Cant see anyone wanting to buy our more expensive signings, players like Johnson, Tuanzebee and maybe Davis.
2

Bert added 14:56 - May 31 Explanation requested by many and explanation given by Ashton. What it demonstrates is that cards are stacked in favour of the big clubs, players with great potential and their agents. Time to move onto what Ipswich now want.
8

Tractorboy58 added 15:15 - May 31 No longer a Town player so move on COYB ! Liam who ?
3

wischip added 15:16 - May 31 Blimey, this is all a bit out of the blue!
5

blueoutlook added 15:33 - May 31 Ashton still got done and he knows it. All bluster to keep the fans on side. Has had a few days to think how to word it to make all the gullible get in line and agree it must be right.
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Dissboyitfc added 15:39 - May 31 so quick question who's glad we signed him and made 12million profit and scored us some goals as opposed to not signing him and scoring goals for southampton,probably would have been bottom of the division with an even more dismal points tally without him. I know which version of events i prefer!
14

Marinersnose added 16:07 - May 31 I enjoyed watching Delap as he was an excellent finisher who is still developing. He isn’t the finished player as yet but it was a pleasure to watch such an emerging talent. Good luck Liam. I’m hoping that Hutchinson isn’t the other player who leaves us as again he’s still young but there is a brilliant player there who has shown glimpses of his potential against decent opponents. We haven’t got replacement players for either but this is atm pie on the sky and we will wait in anticipation for the recruitment to begin. Hopefully we will buy players capable of playing PL football. Midfield is an area we need to bolster. In McKenna we trust

2

Len_Brennan added 16:29 - May 31 From our perspective, Chelsea are probably the worst club he could be going to. Assuming that Ashton isn't creating a misleading position re: a sell on, we'll be hoping that he'll continue to improve & move on again for, say £100m, thus gaining us a further (20% of the £70m profit) £14m from the sale. If we were selling to Everton or Newcastle, there is every chance he would continue to stand out & a 'bigger', richer club, such as Chelsea, would come in for him & be prepared to pay 'mad money'. But there are few clubs, worldwide, that can compete with Chelsea, for fees & wages, or force them to sell a player by offering money they can't turn down. On top of that, Chelsea have been a bit of a basket case club in recent years, where some talented young players have gotten lost in a ridiculouslty sized squad of international superstars brought in for huge fees. There is undoubtedly a chance that Delap will suffer for minutes in that environment, and Chelsea could bring in another big signing striker or two over this & the next couple of windows. We wouldn't want to see him offloaded to Newcastle or Everton in a couple of years, for £35m.

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