Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap

Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap
Chelsea beat off competition from Premier League rivals to sign English striker Liam Delap from Ipswich on Wednesday for a reported fee of £30 million ($41 million). (AFP/File)
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Updated 05 June 2025

Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap

Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap

LONDON: Chelsea beat off competition from Premier League rivals to sign English striker Liam Delap from Ipswich on Wednesday for a reported fee of £30 million ($41 million)
Delap, 22, scored 12 Premier League goals during his sole season at Portman Road but could not prevent Ipswich making an immediate return to the Championship.
Manchester United and Everton were also reportedly willing to meet the buyout clause in the England under-21 international’s contract.
But Chelsea have won the race for the former Manchester City forward, bolstering their attacking options ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States, starting later this month.
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said Delap, who has signed a six-year contract, in a Chelsea statement.
“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.”
The Blues finished fourth in the Premier League and will return to the Champions League next season after a two-year absence.
And Enzo Maresca’s men last week beat Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League final to secure a trophy in the Italian manager’s first season in charge.
In mid-December Chelsea were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool before hitting a rocky patch.
They finished the season strongly, securing a top-five spot on the final day of the season but were hamstrung by their lack of a clinical number nine.
Senegal international Nicolas Jackson scored just 10 times in 30 Premier League appearances, while Christopher Nkunku looks set to leave the club after an underwhelming two-year spell.
Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, began his career at Manchester City but struggled to break into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded first team.
After loan spells in the second tier with Stoke, Preston and Hull, he was snapped up by Ipswich in a deal worth up to £20 million after they won promotion to the Premier League a year ago.
Delap was one of the few success stories for the Tractor Boys during a difficult season as they were relegated back to the Championship with just 22 points.
Chelsea will face Flamengo, LAFC and ES Tunis in the group stages of the Club World Cup, which gets underway on June 14.


Morocco’s Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds

Morocco’s Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds
Updated 17 sec ago

Morocco’s Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds

Morocco’s Under-20 World Cup winners welcomed home by large crowds
Morocco became the first Arab country to win the tournament
The players were driven through the streets of Rabat on an open-top bus

RABAT: The Moroccan team were greeted by thousands of fans in Rabat on Wednesday for a parade to celebrate their historic victory in the Under-20 World Cup last week.
Morocco became the first Arab country to win the tournament with a 2-0 triumph over favorites Argentina in Sunday’s final in Chilean capital Santiago.
Before the parade, Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan presided over a ceremony in honor of the team at the royal palace.
The players were then driven through the streets of Rabat on an open-top bus, to the delight of jubilant supporters and to the sound of vuvuzelas.
“It’s a great achievement, they filled us with joy and waved our country’s flag high,” Youssef, a 34-year-old salesman, told AFP.
Yassir Zabiri, who plays for Famalicao in Portugal, scored twice in the final to end the tournament as the joint top-scorer with five goals.
“The future of our football is in good hands. Well done guys, U20 world champions,” Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, who helped the senior team reach the 2022 World Cup semifinals, posted on social media.
Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations later this year and will be co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

Osimhen double guides Galatasaray to 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt

Osimhen double guides Galatasaray to 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt
Updated 19 min ago

Osimhen double guides Galatasaray to 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt

Osimhen double guides Galatasaray to 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt
  • Osimhen wasted no time giving the home side an early lead
  • Osimhen doubled his tally in the 33rd minute after another error

ISTANBUL: Galatasaray made the most of a litany of errors by Norwegian visitors Bodo/Glimt as they cruised to a 3-1 home win in the Champions League on Wednesday, with striker Victor Osimhen netting twice for the Turkish side in the first half.
Osimhen wasted no time giving the home side an early lead, sweeping a sumptuous first-time finish past Nikita Haikin in the third minute as the Norwegian side was quickly punished for giving the ball away cheaply in midfield.
Osimhen doubled his tally in the 33rd minute after another error. Under pressure as he ran infield, Bodo left-back Fredrik Bjorkan inexplicably passed the ball straight to Osimhen in a central position, and the forward gratefully tucked the ball away.
Bodo created some decent chances of their own but were made to pay again on the hour mark as center-back Haitam Aleesami was robbed just outside his penalty area by Osimhen, and Yunus Akgun was able to score at the second attempt to make it 3-0.
Osimhen had plenty of opportunities to complete his hat-trick but he was thwarted by keeper Haikin, and Bodo substitute Andreas Helmersen was able to head home a close-range consolation goal in the 76th minute as his side finished strongly.
With seven games kicking off later on Wednesday, the win leaves Galatasaray on six points from three games, while Bodo/Glimt have two points ahead of their home clash with Monaco of France in two weeks. Galatasaray are next away at Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam.


Lennart Karl, 17, scores a record-breaking goal in his first Champions League start for Bayern

Lennart Karl, 17, scores a record-breaking goal in his first Champions League start for Bayern
Updated 27 min 40 sec ago

Lennart Karl, 17, scores a record-breaking goal in his first Champions League start for Bayern

Lennart Karl, 17, scores a record-breaking goal in his first Champions League start for Bayern
  • Karl became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer in style, breaking a record set by Musiala
  • Karl sprinted to the corner to celebrate with a knee slide

MUNICH: Seventeen-year-old Lennart Karl was handed his first Champions League start and made the most of it.
Within five minutes of kickoff against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Karl became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer in style, breaking a record set by Jamal Musiala.
Karl picked up a pass in midfield from Jonathan Tah, dodged past defender Brandon Mechele and surged to the edge of the Brugge box before hitting a swerving left-foot shot which went in over goalkeeper Nordin Jackers.
Karl sprinted to the corner to celebrate with a knee slide before Bayern striker Harry Kane and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic rushed over to hug their young teammate.
At 17 years, 242 days old, Karl breaks a record set by Musiala, who was 121 days older when he scored against Lazio in a round-of-16 game four years ago, UEFA said.
Karl wears the same shirt number, 42, that Musiala wore in that game.
It’s Karl’s first senior club goal in his 10th Bayern appearance in all competitions.
He made his debut at the Club World Cup in a 10-0 thrashing of Auckland City in June.


Dyche demands substance over style to get Forest going

Dyche demands substance over style to get Forest going
Updated 22 October 2025

Dyche demands substance over style to get Forest going

Dyche demands substance over style to get Forest going
  • Dyche will take charge for the first time against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday
  • “I have seen enough fashionistas come in and out of this division,” said Dyche

LONDON: Sean Dyche said Nottingham Forest have to get back to basics if he is to turn around a disastrous start to the season that has already seen Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou sacked.
Dyche will take charge for the first time against Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, returning to the City Ground where he began his playing career nearly 40 years ago.
The former Burnley and Everton boss’ direct playing style has been criticized in the past for lacking flair.
But those tactics are now in vogue in the Premier League with long throw-ins and long punts down the field from kick-off becoming commonplace this season.
“I have seen enough fashionistas come in and out of this division,” said Dyche on Wednesday.
“You’ve got to win the games, it’s as simple as that.
“Long ball, short ball? You’ve just got to play effective football. That will never go out of fashion.”
Forest tried to switch styles from Nuno’s more conservative counter-attacking approach to a more attack-minded manager in Postecoglou.
The Australian lasted just 40 days as he failed to win any of his eight games in charge.
After finishing seventh under Nuno last season to qualify for Europe for the first time in 30 years, Forest currently sit in the Premier League relegation zone and have just one point from their opening two Europa League matches.
“As a football manager, a football coach and football players you should be wanting more but the first thing is can we just stabilize the situation,” he added.
“It still needs the basics put back into the team from my point of view, because they have lost sight of that a little bit.”
Dyche added that Forst owner Evangelos Marinakis is realistic about the club’s prospects and recognizes that Premier League survival is now their main priority for the campaign.
“He’s well aware of the challenges,” said Dyche. “I don’t think he thinks it’s a gimme just because of last season.”


PSV coach says Sergiño Dest failed to start in Champions League game after turning up late

PSV coach says Sergiño Dest failed to start in Champions League game after turning up late
Updated 22 October 2025

PSV coach says Sergiño Dest failed to start in Champions League game after turning up late

PSV coach says Sergiño Dest failed to start in Champions League game after turning up late
  • “Sergino was late today, so he won’t be playing,” said Bosz
  • “If you’re not on time, you know the consequences”

EINDHOVEN: American international Sergiño Dest failed to start in PSV Eindhoven’s stunning win against Napoli on Tuesday because he turned up late for the Champions League match, his coach Peter Bosz said.
Bosz said in an interview with broadcaster Ziggo Sport that Dest had to face the consequences for breaching team rules.
“Sergino was late today, so he won’t be playing,” said Bosz, in quotes reported by Dutch outlet nu.
“This isn’t a difficult decision. We made agreements three years ago. Everyone has to abide by them, and so does he. Unfortunately, he didn’t.
“If you’re not on time, you know the consequences.”
PSV went on to record a famous win in the Dutch club’s history by beating Italian champion Napoli 6-2 for their first victory in the Champions League this season.
The 24-year-old Dest, who has played for Barcelona and AC Milan, eventually came on as a substitute in the 84th minute of the game at Philips Stadion.