Update: Liam Delap value to Manchester United clear compared to five alternative transfers News

The latest Man Utd transfer news as speculation around Ipswich Town star Liam Delap gathers pace.

Manchester United appear set to be one of several teams in the running to sign Liam Delap, who will be able to leave Ipswich Town for £30million if they are relegated.

Except that question of “if” would more accurately be portrayed as “when” as, barring a miracle, the Tractor Boys are on course to return to the Championship. They sit 18th in the Premier League table with seven matches to go, looking up at a 12-point deficit to reach safety.

With that, former Manchester City academy starlet Delap’s 12 goals in his break-out English top-flight campaign have put potential suitors on high alert. That has only increased after The Guardian’s report on Wednesday – understood to be accurate by The Manchester Evening News – explained how the striker’s release clause will drop to £30m in the event his team go down.

Here, United would appear to have found an attacking target who ticks numerous boxes. First of all, Delap is an obvious talent, growing up with the cross-city rivals studying strikers ahead of him such as Sergio Aguero or – at least for a short while – Norway goal machine Erling Haaland.

Crucially he’s now proven somewhat at top-flight – his goals double what Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have managed together – and perhaps best of all for Old Trafford decision-makers, in financial terms at £30million he’s on the lower end of the risk spectrum.

United aren’t exactly in the greatest position with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). If they were to miss out, under any circumstances, their summer plans could drastically alter – as the likelihood is an even larger chunk of Ruben Amorim’s budget would have to go towards the signing of a new striker.

Every alternative United have been linked to, though, possesses a vastly greater price valuation, as per the latest updated CIES Observatory figures (Thursday, April 9) and reports of release clauses.

Starting off with RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, CIES say he’s the most valuable of all at €100million-€126million. That said, rumour is that his release clause might be significantly lower – and it is reported to be able to fluctuate between £58million and £66million based on performances until the end of the season.

CIES have also provided new price ranges of €57million-€76million (£48.9million-£65.2million) for Amorim’s favourite when he was Sporting CP head coach, Viktor Gyokeres. Even if the 87-goal striker were to be the manager’s dream signing, this is still around double what Delap is available for.

And this assessment can pass over the only other Premier League forward said to be on United’s radar, too, Matheus Cunha. The latest word on the Brazilian is that his £62.5million clause will become active when the summer window opens.

CIES finally suggest Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike will command a fee in the region of €49million-€66million (£42.1million-£56.7million), and the same is said for Victor Osimhen, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, at €37million-€53million (£31.7million-£45.5million).

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