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Chelsea’s Maresca Backs Liam Delap to Succeed Harry Kane as England’s Future No. 9

Posted : 16 June 2025

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has voiced his belief that Liam Delap is destined to become England’s No. 9 after Harry Kane. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Club World Cup opener against Los Angeles FC, Maresca praised the 22-year-old striker, who recently joined from Ipswich Town for £30 million.

 

While Maresca declined to confirm if Delap would start Monday’s match in Atlanta, he said the young forward has embraced the pressure of wearing Chelsea’s iconic No. 9 shirt with composure and confidence.

 

Maresca, who coached Delap at Manchester City’s U21 side, highlighted their strong previous relationship and mutual understanding.

 

He believes their past success—Delap scored 24 goals under his guidance—will be a foundation for the striker’s continued development at Chelsea. “We know what Liam can bring and he knows how we can help him become a better player,” said Maresca, adding that Delap was eager to join because of their shared footballing philosophy and history.

 

The Chelsea manager dismissed the notion of guaranteed starting roles, emphasizing that players must earn their place through hard work and competition, particularly against fellow forward Nicolas Jackson.

 

Maresca also confirmed Chelsea’s interest in signing a left-winger to replace Jadon Sancho, whose loan will not be extended. For now, however, the club’s full focus is on the Club World Cup, where Maresca warned of the challenges posed by well-prepared teams like LAFC in an era of advanced tactical analysis.

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