Michael Owen is a participant who will endlessly reside within the hearts of Liverpool supporters, rising via the academy and making a reputation for himself within the first-team at Anfield.
The now-retired striker made simply shy of 300 appearances throughout an eight-year interval, notching 158 objectives – sitting within the prime ten for the membership’s highest goalscorers.
He would win the Ballon d’Or in 2001, profitable the award on the tender age of simply 22, earlier than leaving the Reds in the summertime of 2004 to affix Spanish giants Actual Madrid.
His achievements on Merseyside have undoubtedly cemented him within the membership’s historical past endlessly, together with his goalscoring file an enormous cause for the love he obtained from the fanbase.
Quick-forward 21 years on from his subsequent departure, present boss Arne Slot has the chance to land a brand new model of the England attacker.
Liverpool to plot £40m summer time bid for PL star
In response to the Each day Mail, Liverpool are eager on making a transfer for Ipswich City striker Liam Delap this summer time ought to they be relegated from the Premier League.
Nevertheless, the Reds should not alone of their pursuit of the 22-year-old, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United simply three different sides eager to land the teenager.
Regardless of the Tractor Boys’ lowly league standing, Delap has managed to notch 12 objectives in 30 league appearances – 3 times greater than the membership’s subsequent highest goalscorer this marketing campaign.
The report states that the striker has a £40m relegation launch clause in his present contract, probably a cut price given his latest kind in England’s prime flight.
Regardless of the curiosity elsewhere, it could be an excellent addition, permitting the younger star to comply with within the footsteps of Owen at Anfield and taking his personal profession up a notch.
Why Delap might be the following Owen for Liverpool
Former Reds striker Owen was a freak of nature throughout his time on Merseyside, with the striker changing into the second-youngest participant to ever declare the Ballon d’or.
While Delap is already on the similar age as when the 45-year-old claimed the trophy, he nonetheless has a variety of work to do earlier than he will get anyplace close to emualting such a feat, however the indicators of following in Owen’s footsteps are all optimistic.
The Ipswich ace – who has burst onto the scene at an identical age – has already wasted no time in demonstrating his goalscoring high quality on the top-level, possessing an identical skillset, together with his tempo in behind the backline inflicting fixed issues – simply as Owen demonstrated throughout his eight-year spell within the first-team on Merseyside.
He is simply six objectives off the long-lasting striker’s tally from his personal first season within the Premier League, doing so while that includes for a lower-quality aspect – highlighting how spectacular he is been for Kieran McKenna’s aspect.
If he’s to achieve the degrees set by his compatriot, Delap is in desparate want of a big-money transfer to a top-six aspect this summer time, however given his nationality, Slot’s aspect must pay a premium for his signature – however it could be price each penny, particularly if his figures from this season are something to go by.
How Delap compares to Liverpool’s present striker choices
While sitting prime of the Premier League desk, Liverpool have struggled to depend on a striker, with Mohamed Salah usually being the person to provide the products inside the ultimate third.
While the Egyptian has registered 54 mixed objectives and assists in simply 45 video games throughout all competitions, with it unthinkable to think about the place the aspect could be with out his contributions.
Strikers Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez have struggled to nail down the centre-forward position, usually sharing the position between themselves over the previous couple of months.
Nevertheless, the pair have solely registered 11 mixed Premier League objectives between them in 2024/25, a tally decrease than Delap has managed on his personal at Portman Street.
While on the face of it, the Manchester Metropolis academy graduate has outscored the pair, his underlying stats are additionally higher than the aforementioned pair – highlighting what an excellent signing he could be this summer time.
How Delap compares to Jota & Nunez within the PL (2024/25) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90) | Delap | Jota | Nunez |
Video games performed | 30 | 20 | 25 |
Targets & assists | 14 | 9 | 7 |
Shot-on-target accuracy | 45% | 32% | 39% |
Take-ons per 90 | 1.4 | 1 | 0.7 |
Take-on success | 47% | 38% | 38% |
Aerials received | 46% | 44% | 34% |
Fouls received | 1.8 | 1 | 1.3 |
Stats through FBref | |||
Delap, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by expertise scout Jacek Kulig, has additionally achieved a better shot on the right track accuracy charge, showcasing his scientific nature inside the ultimate third.
He’s additionally accomplished extra take-ons per 90 this marketing campaign and in addition having a better aerial success charge, providing an all-round presence that the membership have missed in the previous few months.
Given the shape of the present Reds strikers, it wouldn’t be a shock to nobody to see both of them offloaded in the course of the upcoming summer time switch window.
Ought to they go away, Delap has showcased that he’s an ideal possibility to switch both of the present forwards, bettering additional with higher-quality gamers round him.
If he strikes and will get anyplace near the degrees produced by Owen, it could be a cut price deal at £40m, probably taking Slot’s reign at Anfield to the following degree.
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