He lacks the required quality — Roy Keane slams Chelsea £30m striker

Liam Delap was one of the hottest names on the transfer market last summer, with Manchester United, Chelsea, and Newcastle pushing to get a deal done.

Delap, a product of Manchester City's academy, was a bright spot in a challenging campaign for Ipswich, scoring 12 Premier League goals despite the team securing only four wins all season.

The 23-year-old's form, combined with a £30 million release clause, attracted attention from several top clubs, eventually leading to a move to Chelsea.

While the £30 million transfer was initially viewed as a major success for Chelsea, Delap has found his first season at Stamford Bridge challenging, managing just one goal in the Premier League so far.

Speaking on the "Stick to Football" podcast, former United captain Roy Keane offered a critical take on Delap's performance. "At the moment, he’s obviously lacking confidence, and he lacks real quality, doesn’t he?" Keane remarked.

"Being a handful up front isn’t enough. But he’s only a young kid, you’ve got to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m not writing him off but he’s been a miss so far."

Keane's former teammate, Gary Neville, echoed these sentiments, noting the initial uncertainty surrounding the move.

"I think we all said at the start of the season that we weren't sure how he would do at Chelsea," Neville said.

"He’s got one goal in 17 league appearances; he was obviously injured for a period."

Delap featured as a late substitute in Chelsea's recent 2-2 draw against Leeds United and will be hoping for more playing time in the upcoming FA Cup match against Hull City.