Danny Murphy has urged incoming Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso to block the departure of Liam Delap while allowing Alejandro Garnacho to leave the club this summer. The former Liverpool and England midfielder believes that Alonso should give Delap another opportunity to prove himself at Stamford Bridge, despite a difficult campaign.
Alonso's Chelsea Takeover
Xabi Alonso, the 44-year-old former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder, visited Chelsea's training ground this week as he prepares to officially take over as manager in July. He was appointed last month after Liam Rosenior's disappointing tenure ended. Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season, missing out on European qualification entirely.
Alonso is expected to strengthen the squad during the summer transfer window but also faces decisions on player departures. Several players have been linked with moves away, including Garnacho and Delap, both of whom endured miserable seasons in west London.
Garnacho's Struggles
Alejandro Garnacho, an Argentina international who was once highly rated at Manchester United, joined Chelsea but failed to replicate his potential. He scored only one Premier League goal and struggled to win over the fans. Murphy noted that Chelsea's wide players have generally underperformed, with only Joao Pedro impressing in attack.
Delap's Potential
Liam Delap arrived at Chelsea after an impressive first Premier League season with Ipswich Town. However, he quickly slipped down the pecking order and ended the campaign with just two goals in 41 appearances. Despite this, Murphy believes Delap possesses unique characteristics that Chelsea lack, making him worth retaining.
“I think any manager coming in has to give players a chance, so I think he'll want to look at them and see what they've got,” Murphy told Metro on behalf of NetBet football. “The other thing is that there might not be other clubs who want to take them with the wages they are on or pay the fee for them.
“That is just the dynamic of football politics and transfers. You can easily say 'they haven't done very well, let's move them on,' but where to, and for how much?
“I think Alejandro Garnacho has struggled, and the fans haven't taken to him. A lot of Chelsea's wide players have struggled to be honest. If one was going to leave, I think it would more likely be Garnacho than Liam Delap.
“Delap is a young lad, and he brings some characteristics that Chelsea don't have. He's different to Joao Pedro, so I think Xabi Alonso will give him a crack.”
