'Chelsea project excited me' - Delap on why he joined Blues

Liam Delap was one of this summer's most-wanted strikers.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League games for Ipswich, with his tantalising £30m release clause attracting numerous suitors after they were relegated back to the Championship.

He was given permission to speak to clubs in May, with Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest all showing serious interest while Manchester City also held a buy-back option on their former player.

But it was Chelsea who won the race for his signature and, speaking before the Blues' final Club World Cup group game against ES Tunis on Wednesday, Delap has revealed why - including the pull of Europe and rejoining some familiar faces.

"You never know if it is going to be the right decision but you've just got to go with your gut and hope it works out," he said. "You've got to take your time. I took a few days to speak to people and decide my future."

One of those people he consulted was Chelsea's star attacker Cole Palmer, who he first played with at Manchester City at the age of 15.

Delap added: "I asked him what I needed to ask him, he told me what I needed to know. But I don't like too much information. Ultimately it was my decision so I kind of just want my head to be clear."

Palmer has become the poster boy for Chelsea after two sensational seasons and Delap was asked if he hopes to emulate his former academy team-mate.

"Yeah, of course, that's the goal," he said. "I think we both had similar positions and he's gone and smashed it so hopefully I can also."

Reports in May suggested Manchester United were front runners to sign Delap but their Europa League final defeat by Tottenham, and a poor league campaign, left them without European football next season - with Chelsea's Champions League qualification playing a part in Delap's decision.

"It wasn't the be all and end all because I was also looking towards future seasons but also it helps," he said.

The son of former Stoke City and Derby County midfielder Rory Delap launched his career at Manchester City under now Chelsea manager Maresca. He scored 20 goals and won the PL2 player of the season - as he fired the Italian's under-21s squad to the title in 2020-21.

"I've got a good relationship with the manager," he said of Maresca. "I know how he plays. I've played in this system before. It's very similar now but with little tweaks. I know a lot of the players here and the project of the club, how they see the future. That's what excited me."

Maresca has previously said it was Delap's decision to take the club's so-called "cursed" number nine shirt.

When asked whether he believes in the curse, which counts Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao and Fernando Torres among its supposed victims, Delap replied: "No, I'm not that type of person.

"It's something that people talk about but it doesn't mean anything to me. It's something that's related to strikers so I chose it."

Will Chelsea move help Delap's England hopes?

Delap was speaking form the club's base in Philadelphia after his first start for the club at Lincoln Financial Field

Maresca said before the Club World Cup he has no doubt that Delap will become "England's number nine".

Yet, Delap's move forced him into a club versus country dilemma: either play in the Club World Cup with Chelsea, or the Under-21s European Championship with England.

"I had my sights set on the Euros all season and I was really looking forward to that," he said. "But I signed here and they wanted me to be here. I want to be here as well.

"I need to get to know everyone so that's why I'm here.

"I'm with the boys all the time, it helps me settle in really fast and we can prepare and work on things that we want to use in the season to come."

England manager Thomas Tuchel has already been to watch Harry Kane play for Bayern Munich and could come to see Delap line up for Chelsea against ES Tunis, or in the knockout stage against potentially Bayern Munich and then Paris St-Germain.

Alternative striker Nicolas Jackson is suspended after being sent off in the 3-1 defeat by Flamengo but Delap said: "I was right in front of it when it happened. It was so unlucky. He has obviously not meant to do it; these things happen in football and I am sure he will get over it."

Jackson faced heavy criticism from former Chelsea midfielder-turned pundit John Obi Mikel, which serves as an example of the pressure cooker Delap himself is walking into, but he insists: "I don't really like to look at everything from the outside.

"I am at a big club now and I have probably not had that amount, but my mind is strong enough to not let it affect me."