The Blues are already getting to work in what will be a very busy summer after qualifying for the Champions League. Manager Enzo Maresca has already snapped up the likes of Estêvão, Mamadou Sarr and Delap as he prepares a side that can compete in the upcoming Club World Cup as well as Europe’s top competition next season.
Chelsea fly to the United States for the tournament on Friday and Delap will likely be the first name on the teamsheet as he leads the new frontline. However, speaking to Standard Sport, Mikel has questioned the signing of Delap as Napoli forward Victor Osimhem was their for the taking.
“It’s not a secret. Everybody knows who I want to come to the football club and who the fans want to see at the football club. But they’ve decided to go down a different route.
“I just hope that it’s going to be the right decision,” Mikel adds. “I like Liam Delap. He’s a good young striker who works his socks off. Is he a proven goalscorer in the Premier League? Can he do it at a big club like Chelsea? That’s the question. It’s about how the manager works with him and develops him.
“What we need as a team is healthy competition. You can’t win the Premier League or Champions League with just one striker. We’ve only had Nicolas Jackson. Now, he and Delap will push each other. I hope we’ll see the best of both of them at the Club World Cup.”
Delap arrives for £30m after a breakout campaign in which he netted 12 Premier League goals for his relegated side. He has proven himself in England’s top flight but Mikel is convinced that Osimhen could have made a real difference in West London if given the chance to sign for the side.
“With Victor Osimhen, if you want the finished article, if you want someone who can come in straight away, get you goals, win you trophies, put you in the top four, you have to pay the big bucks. That’s what the big clubs do.
“If you want somebody to evolve over the next two, three, four years, which is what the club has done, then that also makes sense. But Chelsea Football Club’s culture is winning — straight away. If you want to win, you have to bring in a Victor Osimhen.
“That’s how you win trophies. Because he will get you goals. Delap is a great young striker, but you have to wait and see if he’ll do it at a big club like Chelsea. Did he do it this season with Ipswich? Of course, they got relegated. So there’s so much to take in.