Revealed: Chelsea striker's future ‘up in the air’ as Xabi Alonso clear-out expected
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Credit: Imago Fri 22 May 2026 21:00, UK Liam Delap will need to impress new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso in pre-season to earn a stay at the club after a disappointing debut season in West London.Delap has failed to nail down a place in Chelsea’s starting eleven under three different managers this season since his move from Ipswich Town last summer.The 23-year-old was unable to capitalise on a rare Premier League starting berth against Tottenham in midweek as he did not even register a shot on target.His future is uncertain ahead of the summer, and as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, new Blues boss Alonso will need to be impressed by Delap in pre-season to consider keeping him at the club.Alonso will be fronting Chelsea’s transfer plans this summer following his appointment, with several additions and exits likely after a disappointing campaign. MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Liam Delap needs a good pre-season to avoid Chelsea exit after Xabi Alonso’s arrivalSources have revealed to Football Insider that Alonso will assess his Chelsea squad before a possible clear-out that could see up to six players leave.Delap is one of those on the chopping block after a poor season, but he could still revive his Blues career by impressing the Spaniard.Appearances27Minutes played1097′Goals1Shots36Chances created3Duels won %39.3%Fouls won19Fouls committed25Delap’s PL stats 2025-26Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Delap’s future is up in the air, because obviously he will be looking forward to working under a new manager in Xabi Alonso.
“Will he be part of Alonso’s plans? It’s a clean slate for every player at Stamford Bridge as soon as he arrives for pre-season.“I think it’ll be up to the player to try and impress Alonso in pre-season and early next season to show that he has got a future at the club.”Darwin Nunez could replace Delap at ChelseaChelsea are bound to be after a new striker addition this summer to compete with Joao Pedro and potentially replace Delap.According to a new reveal from Football Insider’s sources, former Liverpool forward Nunez is on Chelsea’s radar ahead of the summer.He has fallen out of favour at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal and last featured for the club in mid-February, with his contract possibly set to be terminated soon.Chelsea are set to face competition for his services, however, with Newcastle also eyeing a move for the Uruguay star. 🦁 Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Chelsea Insider Access Get the full story from Stamford Bridge and Cobham with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from West London.