Why Premier League clubs should sign Liam Delap instead of Alexander Isak

Ladbrokes looks at the reasons why a host of Premier League clubs interested in Alexander Isak should actually look to sign Liam Delap instead.

Several top clubs have registered interest in Newcastle United forward Isak, while Delap has had a superb debut season in the Premier League for struggling Ipswich Town.

According to multiple sources, including Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein, Delap has a £30m release clause if Ipswich are relegated from the Premier League.

That appears likely at this moment in time, looking at the latest relegation odds, so with Newcastle slapping a £150m price tag on Isak, should clubs pivot their interest to Delap instead?

Isak is clearly the more established striker, hence the astronomical price tag. In the Premier League this year, he has 21 goals and 6 assists from 30 games, the second consecutive year he has hit 20 league goals. The Swede is firmly in the Golden Boot race.

Delap has a more modest 12 goals and 2 assists from 32 appearances, but it's his first season at top flight level and he has shown plenty of promise. He's also been playing in an Ipswich team languishing near the bottom of the league all season, while Newcastle are pushing for a Champions League place.

Well, if the reported price tags are accurate, Liam Delap would be around five times cheaper than signing Alexander Isak. In this market, £30m is an absolute snip for a Premier League-proven forward, especially in the age of PSR.

Delap, aged 22, is also three years younger than Isak, 25. The Newcastle striker is by no means old, but arguably there is more room to grow for Delap. Liam, the son of former Stoke midfielder and long-throw specialist Rory Delap, has all the raw attributes to become a top-class striker.

Given the lower fee, Delap would also not have to be the undisputed number one striker, in the same way that Isak would. This could ease the pressure on Delap and give him the space to grow. For a club like Chelsea, who already have a capable striker in Nicolas Jackson, that could be appealing.

As mentioned, Chelsea have been credited with a strong interest in Delap, and also enquired about Isak last summer. Delap would fit with The Blues' strategy of investing in young players.

Manchester United could do with some help to ease the burden on Rasmus Hojlund. Isak is probably beyond their reach, but Delap has links to Manchester having come through the Man City academy.

City do have a £40m buyback for Delap, but with Erling Haaland in place they are said not to be interested in bringing back the Ipswich man.

Liverpool have made a habit of taking advantage of release clauses, such as their move for Alexis Mac Allister. If they feel priced out of a move for Isak, could the Reds be opportunistic again by signing Delap? The runaway Premier League leaders will be in a strong position to convince any potential incomings this summer.

According to the statistics hub FBref, Delap is a similar style of player to Benjamin Sesko, another striker linked to a host of elite clubs, particularly Arsenal. Will the Gunners prefer a move for a domestically proven striker like Delap? They've also held a long-term interest in Isak, so it will be interesting to see who they go for.

Aston Villa could also be one to watch, with Ollie Watkins nearly 30 and Jhon Duran sold to Saudi Arabia. Few would bet against Unai Emery getting the best out of Delap. The young English forward looks to be one of the hottest names on the market this summer.

Despite all that, Ladbrokes has looked at where Alexander Isak could end up next season, with a move away from St James' Park still very much on the cards.

View the latest football odds here.

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.