Blues striker Liam Delap’s £30 million move to Chelsea has been confirmed, the frontman having signed a six-year deal.

The West Londoners triggered the relegation release clause in the 22-year-old’s contract last week, the frontman having held talks with a number of interested parties during the final weeks of the season, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton among them.

He underwent a medical earlier this week having agreed personal terms at Stamford Bridge, which always appeared his most likely destination.

We understand Town will receive £20 million of the £30 million fee - a new club record - up front, while Delap’s former club Manchester City are due 20 per cent of the profit the Blues made on the sum they paid following the England U21 international’s move last summer.

That figure, which was initially £15 million, is understood to have nudged to around the £18 million mark with add-ons triggered over the course of the season. Town in turn will get a percentage of a future Chelsea sale.

“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” he told the Chelsea club site.

“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”

On Town, he said: “I want to say a big thank-you to everyone at Ipswich Town for everything they have done for me during my time at the club.

“We didn't achieve our ultimate goal but the welcome I received and the ongoing support the manager, his staff and the supporters gave the players meant it was the perfect environment for me to play regular Premier League football for the first time in my career.

“There is so much for the club to be excited about for the guture and I’m confident it won't be long before Ipswich Town is backin the Premier League again. I’ll be supporting from afar. I'll never forget my time at the club. Thank you for everything.”

One-time Derby County academy youngster Delap made 32 starts and eight sub appearances in his one campaign with the club, scoring 12 times.

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.

We understand talks with Chelsea regarding the loan of Marc Guiu in a separate deal remain ongoing.

Photo: Matchday Images

superblues9 added 21:08 - Jun 4 Hopefully struggle at first may stand chance of getting him back on loan
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superblues9 added 21:08 - Jun 4 Hopefully struggle at first may stand chance of getting him back on loan
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cressi added 21:12 - Jun 4 Pleased it's over and done with let's get our players in quickly if we get players from City Chelsea etc we don't want clauses if we don't go up. Only clause I understand is a matching buy back clause or a small percentage of profits if we sell elsewhere.
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Mark added 21:13 - Jun 4 I am glad the deal is done early so we can plan. £9m-odd profit in a season is not bad at all, hopefully with a sell on of 20% of any future profit Chelsea make if they sell him.
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GavITFC added 21:15 - Jun 4 Anyone know if we were able to put any performance related add ons or sell on clauses? I know we had our hands tied with the transfer fee but if Chelsea sell him next year for £100m I would like to think there’s some sort of sell on
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RIPbobby added 21:15 - Jun 4 All the best for the future LD. You have a lot of good opportunities. I hope they go really well. You gave us some bright moments in a fairly dark season. That second goal against villa at Portman Road was just amazing. Bring back those euros this closed season and aim for the world cup next year. Go smash em champ.
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1960H added 21:16 - Jun 4 Glad that's over with, we move on looking to the future
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victorysquad added 21:17 - Jun 4 Lets use this as fuel. Chelsea? I am sorry but a lot of us remember what is the underbelly of that football club, lets hunt them down Ashton and smash them again in 2 years time, and we want to see Delap playing in that side as well.
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BobbyPetta11 added 21:17 - Jun 4 9mil profit still doesn’t sit or feel right. Nevermind we have no choice but to move on .
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Town4me added 21:20 - Jun 4 @GavITFC. Did you read the article?
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ArmaghBlue added 21:23 - Jun 4 He has just taken the first step on his career’s downward spiral
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Broadbent23 added 21:25 - Jun 4 Good luck Liam. At least you have found a decent Prem team to develop yourself into England's number nine. Thank you for your efforts last season.
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Stato added 21:26 - Jun 4 Why did we showcase a player for such a small amount of profit ? so what if he signed for Southampton. Cracking player signed on a naff contract. Come on Ashton you can do better than this
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ITFC1990 added 21:26 - Jun 4 Gutted that he has left but fair play to him, take the chance whilst he has it. Who can blame a young lad the opportunity to play at the highest level and earning large amounts of money. Everyone on here that is in current employment don’t tell me you wouldn’t leave if some extra bank notes were flashed in front of you. All the best geeza.
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Gforce added 21:27 - Jun 4 Best of luck Liam,hope you go on to have a long and distinguished career with Chelsea and hopefully England. Thanks for the memories and who knows,might see you back playing for the Town again one day.
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cartman1972 added 21:34 - Jun 4 Hope it all goes pear shaped .
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Phil1969 added 21:40 - Jun 4 What’s not to like. If you listen to the clubs explanation we wouldn’t have got him on any other terms. He could have crashed and burned. But we make a healthy profit with added worth under FFP in the Championship and most likely get an able replacement on loan from Chelsea who owe us now and maybe in the future also with a sell on.
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Cookieboy added 21:41 - Jun 4 I did comment earlier, I still think we were short changed for the work we put into making him a much short after player. We never seem to be able to command large fees for outgoing players. Big clubs take us for a ride
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ArnieM added 21:42 - Jun 4 And this whole sagap underlines everything that is is bad about the game now. Its only about money, certainly not about the fans. Delap is just yet another player on the money circus merry-go-round. He might come good, but dont be surprised if he doesn't. His agent had finevan excellent job whipping up the hype from the moment he pulled a Town shirt on. I foubt he and hus agent had any intention of remaining at Town even if we'd stayed up. Moving on now, because frankly I'm sick to death of hearing about it.

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blueboy1981 added 21:42 - Jun 4 Six Year Contract ? - seems Chelsea know a Footballer when they see one ! Bit different to some of the deluded wags on here …. !! Best Wishes and Thanks Liam - you did very well and impressed (obviously) in a poor relegated short lived Premiership team.
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blues1 added 21:46 - Jun 4 Stato. What are you on about? Assume you haven't seen Ashtons interview the other day. We had no option but to accept the deal as it was when we signed him, or he'd have gone elsewhere. Should try getting ur facts right before criticising the club.
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Edmundo added 21:46 - Jun 4 The club I feel sorry for in all this is Derby: bet they don't get anything, yet developed him right up until Citeh bulldozed in to add him to their collection of about 400 kids.
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gkroon89 added 21:46 - Jun 4 International tournament at the end of next season. Of he has a decent season at Chelsea - he could end up being in the tournament playing for England. Move is a no brainer and especially when linking up with other young England players.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 21:48 - Jun 4 See the normal minority of moaners are on here about Ashton or the club again. It was the players reps who said this was their players request as didn’t want to be priced out of a move to the prem if relegation happened so go blame Delap or his rep. So would you rather as I said previously make 10 mill in one season from someone who was by most of the same idiots on here and I quote ‘not good enough for the championship’ or not get him and make 10 million in the process?? Some proper lack of football knowledge and on this page from the same moaners we’d be in administration again if they ran the club!

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blueboy1981 added 21:49 - Jun 4 Some ‘so called’ fans and their comments are a disgrace to Ipswich Town Football Club. Hang your Heads in Shame !
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