Manchester United will rival Chelsea in the race to sign Liam Delap this summer after identifying the Ipswich Town forward ahead of Viktor Gyökeres, Benjamin Sesko and Victor Osimhen as the solution to their goalscoring problems, sources have told ESPN.

Despite financial constraints that have led to the club’s hierarchy, led by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, imposing a series of job cuts and efficiency measures this season to stabilise United’s finances and avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), sources have said that coach Ruben Amorim will be backed in the transfer market this summer with a new centre-forward pinpointed as the priority.

Sources have told ESPN that Delap, who has scored 12 goals in 30 Premier League games for Ipswich since completing a £20 million ($25.7m) transfer from Manchester City last summer, has emerged as United’s favoured target with the 22-year-old available for a relatively inexpensive £40m fee if Ipswich are relegated.

Sources have told ESPN that City have a £40m clause to re-sign Delap inserted in the contract he penned after joining Ipswich for £20m last summer. But despite his form this season, Pep Guardiola’s team are unlikely to trigger that option, primarily because of Erling Haaland’s decision to sign a nine-and-a-half year contract at the Etihad in January.

However, City stand to benefit financially if Delap leaves Portman Road at the end of the season due to the club also negotiating a 20% exit clause. City will receive 20% of any profit made by Ipswich if they offload the England under-21 forward.

With Sporting CP striker Gyökeres available if a club triggers his €100m (£85.4m) release clause, and United also anticipating interest from Arsenal in the Sweden international, Delap has moved ahead of the 26-year-old, a player who thrived under Amorim with the Portuguese champions following his £17m move to Lisbon from Coventry in 2023, due to cost, age profile and his proven record in the Premier League.

Delap may also be pursued by Champions League clubs, with Liverpool likely to be in the market for a forward if Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah leave this summer and Chelsea potentially able to offer a place in next season’s competition.

The Stamford Bridge club are coached by Enzo Maresca, who worked with Delap at City’s Academy, so United will face significant competition from Chelsea if they choose to make a move for Delap.