Everton manager David Moyes has confirmed he’s had transfer talks with Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap
David Moyes has confirmed that Liam Delap has held transfer talks with Everton but the Blues boss admits that the club could face a battle to land the in-demand Ipswich Town striker. Ahead of Ipswich Town’s game with Everton earlier this month in Goodison Park’s penultimate Premier League fixture, Moyes said of the 22-year-old: “He would be one who we would certainly have an interest in… we would certainly be interested if he was interested in us. That’s for sure.”
Despite a subsequently spiky performance against the Blues, with many home fans calling for him to be sent off after he sent Jarrad Branthwaite flying with a wild challenge just moments after he and Jake O’Brien were both booked for clashing by the corner flag, Delap, who has netted a dozen goals for the division’s third bottom side, supporters got him to ‘sign up’ as he crossed the road from the Main Stand reception to enter the house at 37 Goodison Road and add his signature to the many others that adorn the wall in the hallway.
Now Moyes has acknowledged that Everton were one of the clubs who have spoken to Delap who is available this summer due to his relegation release clause, understood to be valued at £30million.
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Asked if the Blues were one of the interested parties to have been in negotiations with the England-Under 21 international, Moyes said: “We’ve had a chance to speak to him, yes.
“He spoke to three or four clubs. He’s given us our opportunity to pitch our case. “We’re probably a little bit behind the black ball but hopefully, you never know what happens.”
Moyes, who is also understood to maintain interest in Liverpool winger Ben Doak who spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough, insisted that Delap was not taken to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium but with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United all rumoured to be in the running for his signature, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna also confirmed that his £20million signing from Manchester City last July had been holding exit talks.
He said: “Liam’s looking at his options for next year, which I think he is entitled to do and we support him with that.
“I think we have given him permission to do that this week. It’s a very important decision for his future.
“Of course there is a lot of interest – and rightly so. I think part of his week has been having some of those conversations.
“It looks more likely than not that he will move on this summer and he has interest from pretty much every club in the league, and I don’t think there are many clubs in the world who wouldn’t want to have him. (However) nothing is sorted, nothing is done or completed or even very, very, very close, so that process will take its course.
“We will be proud of the part that we have had in terms of Liam’s development and his contribution this season.
“If he stays with us, we will be delighted, and if he moves on this summer, it will be a positive sign for the club to have developed and sold a player at that sort of level and hopefully it will be a good move for him as well.”
