Liam Delap urged to leave Chelsea for Everton and follow 'great path' of Romelu Lukaku

Everton are reportedly targeting 23-year-old Chelsea striker Delap during the current summer transfer window following the forward's struggles to settle at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are said to be willing to part ways with the former Manchester City academy product to recoup the majority of the £30 million fee paid to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025. King, a former senior scout at Everton, believes a move to Merseyside represents the best route to reignite the attacker's career.

King believes Lukaku’s stellar track record at Everton, where he netted 87 goals in 166 appearances and remains the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League era with 68 goals, should serve as the primary benchmark for Delap to rebuild his career at Goodison Park.

Speaking to Football Insider, King stated: "If I was Delap and I got the shout from Everton, I'd be thinking: 'Christ alive, yeah. Look who went to Everton and became a really good player. Lukaku.'

"He went on loan and really made his name up at Everton, didn't he? And it was a great path for him, you know, to open the doors to greater things," he continued.

Reflecting on Lukaku’s early development, King added: "You know, I must admit, when he came to Everton as a young player, I can remember seeing him playing in a tournament in La Manga when he was 17. Powerful and strong he was, and what a wonderful finisher he was off his left foot. It was a great era for Belgian players then."

"[Thibaut] Courtois and [Youri] Tielemans and, you know, all these kind of players. So, if he got the chance to go to Everton, I'd take it. Even if he's on loan for the year," King concluded.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea plan to halve their six-man senior striker unit following Danny Welbeck's arrival. With Joao Pedro set to stay and sign a new deal, Delap has emerged as a prime candidate to be sold for a fee exceeding £30 million, alongside Nicolas Jackson, valued at £65 million, and Marc Guiu, carrying a £25 million price tag. This logjam presents a prime opportunity for Everton to strike as Stamford Bridge officials look to trim their attacking options.

Everton must now decide whether to launch a loan proposal or pursue a permanent transfer before the window closes. For Delap, remaining at Chelsea on his long-term contract running until 2031 carries the risk of severely restricted playing time and stagnating development.