Liam Delap is expected to leave on loan from Manchester City for the upcoming campaign, according to a new report.
After Manchester City’s failure to replace Sergio Aguero with Tottenham’s Harry Kane last summer, the door was seemingly open for Delap to pounce on the absence of an out-and-out striker in the club's first-team ranks.
However, an injury-riddled campaign meant the Englishman could not latch on to the opportunity of a lifetime.
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Despite the 19-year-old returning from a frustrating spell on the sidelines to make his landmark debuts in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, Manchester City were largely in no need of his services on a consistent basis.
Pep Guardiola’s false nine system enabled the side to waltz their way to become the highest scorers in the division (99) as City successfully defended their Premier League title.
The Blues even finished top of the scoring charts in all competitions across Europe's top five divisions last term, with Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden all filling in down the middle.
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While some may have expected Delap to be more involved in the thick of things next season, the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez suggests the polar opposite.
Haaland is classed by many alongside the likes of Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski as one of the true elite strikers in world football.
As for Alvarez, the Argentine forward’s ability to play across the frontline could make him a vital squad member at the Etihad Stadium next term.
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While there is no denying that Delap's immediate future in east Manchester makes for grim reading, a new update has revealed the club's plans to utilise the teenager's talent to the best of its ability in the short-term.
As per a report by Sam Lee of The Athletic, Liam Delap is set to leave Manchester City to head out on loan next season.
This is not the first instance where the son of former Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap has been linked with a season-long loan away from the Premier League champions.
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Southampton and West Brom have been previously speculated to have kept an eye on the England U-21 international, who made just three first-team appearances for Manchester City last season.
In addition, it was revealed in January City had decided to resist any loan offers for the highly-rated forward.
At the time, the club’s intention was for Delap to return to full fitness and contribute to the first-team as and when called upon in the business end of the past campaign.
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However, the Winchester-born marksman’s prolific goal return for the Elite Development Squad (EDS) season after season suggests he is ready for bigger and better things.
A season-long move away from his boyhood club could give Liam Delap the chance to remind Manchester City why he deserves to be given a fair run in the first-team in the years to come.
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez
Srinivas Sadhanand