Four alternatives Manchester United could turn to after £30m Liam Delap transfer blow

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Manchester United are set to miss out on the signing of Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap amid his preference to join Chelsea.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News on Thursday afternoon, Delap is leaning towards a move to Stamford Bridge and he wants to have his future resolved by the start of the Under-21 European Championship on June 11.

United had identified the 22-year-old as an attainable target to strengthen their attacking options ahead of next season after Ipswich's relegation triggered a £30million release clause in his contract.

The former Manchester City youngster, as well as being the subject of interest from United and Chelsea, has also held talks with Everton and Newcastle United recently. He scored 12 Premier League goals this season.

With United now set to miss out on the former Stoke City and Hull City loanee, MEN Sport has picked out five alternatives who the Reds could potentially consider to spearhead their attack.

Yoanne Wissa

United have been linked with Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo this week, but news of Delap's expected switch to Stamford Bridge could force the Reds to target one of his teammates instead.

Wissa, 28, scored 19 Premier League goals this season, successfully filling the void that had been vacated by Ivan Toney last summer. He led Brentford's attack throughout the season and was only outscored by Mohamed Salah (29), Alexander Isak (23), Erling Haaland (22), Chris Wood (20) and Mbeumo (20) in the Premier League.

The former FC Lorient man also scored 12 times in the Premier League last season, meaning his tally of 32 over the last two seasons means he has netted more top flight goals in that period than Mbeumo, who so often dominates the Brentford headlines.

Establishing himself as a consistent source of goals in the Premier League, Wissa is likely to be a target for a lot of clubs this summer. His contract at the Gtech Community Stadium is up in 2026, but Brentford have the option of an additional year, which they would almost certainly trigger to protect his soaring valuation.

(Image: Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images.)

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Like Wissa, Mateta is another striker who exceeded expectations for one of the Premier League's mid-table clubs this season, scoring 17 goals across all competitions, of which 14 were netted in the league.

Since initially arriving at Selhurst Park on loan in January 2021, the Frenchman's all-round game has improved, and that has been reflected in his increased attacking output. After scoring 16 goals in the Premier League last season, his tally of 14 this time around demonstrates that he is now an established goal-getter.

Under contract at Palace until 2027, Mateta is excellent at holding the ball up and bringing others into play, meaning he could be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim's team, where the two No.10s are tasked with operating close to the central striker.

If United decide that Mateta is a realistic alternative to Delap, the problem they could face is that Palace have European football to offer the striker next season after qualifying for the Europa League via their FA Cup triumph at Wembley earlier this month. Being unable to offer European football at Old Trafford could hold United back in their search for a striker.

Jonathan David

Strikers of David's pedigree do not come on the market all that often. The fact he is available for free this summer after deciding to leave Lille means that he will be a very attractive option for a number of clubs.

The Canadian spent five years at Lille, scoring 109 goals in 232 appearances, establishing himself as one of Europe's most consistent goalscorers. United have been heavily linked with him in the past and he would be an excellent signing on a free transfer.

(Image: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images.)

However, David played in the Champions League this season and scored seven goals in ten appearances, meaning he will have aspirations of playing in the competition again next season. The likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Barcelona have all been linked with him and will each play in the Champions League in 2025/26.

It means United are highly unlikely to be able to lure David to M16, even though he would not require a transfer fee. It is when you look at players of his ilk that you begin to grasp a real understanding of just how costly failing to qualify for the Champions League could be.

Victor Osimhen

United have been linked with Osimhen countless times in previous years and now would be as good a time as any to bring him to Old Trafford. He will leave Napoli this summer on a permanent basis after falling out with head coach Antonio Conte almost a year ago.

He spent this season on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray and scored a whopping 36 goals in 40 matches across all competitions. He also racked up eight assists.

Already being linked with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal, United may face a race against the clock to try and lure him to Old Trafford. Some reports have claimed he could be available for around €40m.

In this modern era, a fee in that region for a goalscorer as prolific as Osimhen, who is entering the prime of his career at the age of 26, represents good value. He has scored 84 goals since the beginning of the 2022/23 season for Napoli and Galatasaray combined.

However, a lack of European football could hold United back. He scored six times in seven Europa League appearances this season.

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