Leeds United have already guaranteed their Premier League place for next season with matches still left to play, and attention is now gradually turning towards the summer transfer window.
With survival secured, the club are accelerating their planning behind the scenes and continuing to assess several possible transfer targets before the season finishes.
Unlike last summer, Leeds are not expected to completely rebuild the squad, but they still want to add quality in several important areas ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The Whites are keen to bring in a striker and have emerged as favourites to sign Juventus striker Lois Openda. However, the club have also made a move for Chelsea’s Liam Delap.
Leeds United ‘make contact’ for Liam Delap
Chelsea signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for a deal worth £30m last summer and felt that they carried out a coup given how well he played in the Premier League last season, despite his former side’s relegation.
However, the 23-year-old has struggled at Chelsea this season, scoring just twice in 38 appearances in all competitions this season.
The Blues have decided to move him, and his agents have been instructed to find a new club for the striker in the upcoming transfer window.
According to journalist Simon Phillips, Leeds are amongst the clubs who have made contact to probe the possibility of signing Delap in the coming months.
Delap’s physical play will suit Daniel Farke and Leeds’ style better, and despite his record at Chelsea this season, he remains a highly coveted striker.
Chelsea are keen to recoup as much of the £30m they paid for him last summer. However, they are open to loan-to-buy deals as well to move the striker on this summer.
Newcastle are also among the clubs that are interested in snapping up Delap in the upcoming transfer window.
Is he a better option than Openda?
Leeds seem serious about Openda and are prepared to make a significant financial commitment to sign him from Juventus in the summer window.
However, they would be buying him more for his record in Germany previously than for what he has done in Italy, where he struggled this season.
Delap has also found it difficult to adapt to Chelsea. However, he may be less of a gamble than Openda for Leeds in the upcoming transfer window.
He already proved himself in the Premier League with Ipswich Town, and is more proven at this level than Openda at this stage.
Delap seems a player who is more suited to a team such as Leeds, where physicality up front is needed, than Chelsea, where they are expected to dominate opposition.
It remains to be seen whether Leeds opt for a gamble on Openda or move for Delap based on his record at Ipswich.
