Chelsea Eye Liam Delap and Dean Huijsen for £80m Transfer Investment
Chelsea plans to trigger £80m in transfer clauses for two highly promising young talents: Liam Delap and Dean Huijsen.
Chelsea’s recruitment team is once again setting its sights on young high potential talent, with Manchester City’s Liam Delap on their shortlist. The 21-year-old striker, who is currently on loan at Hull City, has been impressive in the Championship this season and has 12 goals in total. Renowned for his strength, hold-up play and eye for goal, Delap fits Chelsea’s blueprint of developing a young and exciting squad who also have long-term resale value.
In 2022, Delap extended his contract at Manchester City until 2026. But according to latest reports, a buy-back clause is inserted in his agreement which has a £40 million release clause into the contract, which Chelsea would apparently meet. Pep Guardiola’s first XI and City are not averse to holding talks if an attractive offer is received. But Chelsea trust Delap has a first-team future, particularly under someone such as Mauricio Pochettino, who has a strong track record of nurturing young strikers.
With Nicolas Jackson still inconsistent and Christopher Nkunku fighting to regain fitness, Delap’s potential arrival would provide depth and future cover. His work rate and versatility could see him being a useful option in the front line, particularly in domestic competitions and late-season matches. The departure indicates that Chelsea will be taking a gamble on potential, not proven stars, at least calculated risk is they rebuild their squad.
Dean Huijsen monitored as solution to defensive reshuffle
In defence, Chelsea are keeping a close eye on highly-rated Juventus centre-back Dean Huijsen. The 19-year-old Dutchman, has been on loan at AS Roma this season, impressing with his composure well beyond his years. At 6’4”, Huijsen has stolen the show with his aerial prowess, positional intelligence and ability to play out from the back — all three being traits Chelsea were lacking during an indifferent 2024/25 season.
Juventus have set a £40m price tag on Huijsen and Chelsea are ready to pay that fee to reinforce their defence. With Thiago Silva leaving and questions over Wesley Fofana’s fitness record, Huijsen could end up as a long-term foil to pair with either Levi Colwill or Benoît Badiashile. He has been impressive playing under Daniele De Rossi at Roma, with his maturity and composure in high-pressure scenarios winning him fans.
Although Chelsea have also been mentioned to be in the hunt for more experienced central defenders, the club’s move towards a younger demographic means Huijsen would also be on their shortlist of targets. Juventus are reluctant to sell, especially with their defensive question marks, though. However, if Chelsea do take up the clause, the choice may not be solely down to the Italian outfit. The player is open to a switch to the Premier League, especially since Chelsea can offer him first-team football and room to grow.
Author’s Opinion
If Chelsea proceed with both deals, it would be a substantial sum — £80 million of talent, not much of it proven at the top-flight level. Yet the approach mirrors the club’s larger rebuild philosophy, which is to commit to talented, young players and develop and elevate them into stars.
Liam Delap and Dean Huijsen are two players that fit this application. Delap offers raw Premier League potential in attack, while Huijsen could become a defensive linchpin for years to come. Yet the transition from a promising talent to a consistent performer at Chelsea is steep. Past signings with similar profiles have wilted under the club’s lofty standards and never-ending turnover of managers.
In the end, if these were signings, they would be a calculated risk. If Chelsea provides them with stability and a more defined route to senior football, they could richly reward the club. But without it, £80 million more could — potentially — have turned into one of the “what could’ve been” signings.
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