Chelsea close to turning Liam Delap's failed move into a profit

Chelsea are on the verge of turning one of their most difficult recent signings into a healthy profit. Liam Delap has been linked with Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Everton, and the Blues believe they can sell the striker for considerably more than the €35.5m they invested just over a year ago. Delap arrived from Ipswich with the expectation that he would lead Chelsea's attack. Instead, he slipped behind Joao Pedro after the Brazilian joined from Brighton and never really recovered. Last season produced only two goals in 41 appearances. The signs were already worrying, but the clearest picture came in Xabi Alonso's first match in charge, a 6-4 friendly win against Western Sydney Wanderers. Delap spent an hour on the pitch, yet he struggled to link play and gave the team little as an attacking outlet. Joao Pedro came on in the closing stages and scored a hat-trick, adding an assist for good measure. With Emmanuel Emegha now in the squad and Nicolas Jackson potentially staying unless he is loaned out again, Delap's opportunities look limited. Selling him is the obvious next step. Chelsea have often been questioned over their recruitment, particularly the mix of young prospects and experienced arrivals such as Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. But their sales department has a strong track record, and Delap could be the latest proof. His estimated transfer value was around €37m when he joined and has barely moved in 12 months, helped by the five years remaining on his contract. Chelsea, however, are reported to be asking for €41m-€47m. That would represent a profit of more than 20% on the initial fee, and potentially over €10m on a player whose reputation has fallen sharply. Chelsea's transfer policy is often debated. If they get this deal done, the conversation should be about how well they handled it.