Chelsea plan striker overhaul with Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson set to leave
Chelsea are willing to offload strikers Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu as new manager Xabi Alonso reshapes his attacking options ahead of the new season.
The Stamford Bridge club recently bolstered their forward line by signing veteran Danny Welbeck from Brighton and Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg.
Those high-profile arrivals have cast further doubt over the futures of several existing fringe players in west London.
Delap struggles to impress
Delap is attracting strong interest from Everton and Nottingham Forest after enduring a remarkably difficult debut campaign.
The 23-year-old managed just two goals across all competitions while providing cover for first-choice frontman Joao Pedro.
Despite a fierce desire to stay and fight for his place, the former Ipswich Town signing has received little encouragement regarding future playing time under Alonso.
The newly appointed Spanish coach is widely expected to continue trusting Pedro as the focal point of the team’s attack.
Complications in Jackson departure
Aston Villa are actively monitoring Jackson following the conclusion of his temporary stint with German giants Bayern Munich.
Any potential switch to the Midlands outfit is heavily complicated by strict Premier League loan regulations.
Villa have already borrowed Alejandro Garnacho from the Blues, meaning they can only pursue a permanent transfer for the Senegalese international.
Securing a permanent deal presents its own administrative hurdles because of Uefa’s stringent swap rules.
Chelsea recently finalised a club-record £117m swoop for Morgan Rogers from Villa, raising concerns that a corresponding move for Jackson could be classified as an illegal linked transaction.
Guiu and youth exits
Spanish youth international Guiu is another prime candidate for a summer departure, either on loan or via a permanent transfer.
The 20-year-old has featured sparingly since arriving from Barcelona in 2024 and is desperate to secure regular first-team football.
He briefly joined Sunderland on loan last year before being hastily recalled to cover a sudden striker shortage.
Meanwhile, highly-rated academy winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen is currently locked in negotiations over a season-long loan switch to Championship side Portsmouth.