Why Liam Rosenior loved Everton-linked Liam Delap and Enzo Maresca's bold England claim
Everton-linked Liam Delap has had some top coaches go in to bat for him in the past.
One of Everton's big problems in recent times for Everton has been their seemingly constant struggle to find their centre-forward of the future.
Indeed, the Toffees haven't had a double-digit goalscorer in a single Premier League season since Richarlison netted 10 in 2021-22.
There are those who doubt whether Delap could be Everton's answer though, with the 23-year-old scoring just three times in 47 total appearances for Chelsea in 2025-26.
He's yet to really prove himself at the top level, but did enjoy an impressive 12-goal campaign with relegated Ipswich Town in 2024-25, which helped him earn his big-money move to Stamford Bridge.
And, whilst he certainly has his fair share of sceptics, those who've worked with Delap closest haven't shied away from his talent, and where that can and should take him in the future.
Liam Rosenior saw Liam Delap's true value lie away from his goals
Goodison News has been covering reports that Chelsea may look to offload Delap this summer as they attempt to trim down their sizeable squad.
The big striker has been widely linked with a move to Everton as a result, but there are concerns among some fans that he would only add to the Toffees' frustrations in front of goal rather than solve them.
Liam Rosenior didn't share those concerns during his time working with him at Chelsea, however.
Despite the fact that Rosenior only took charge of 13 Premier League games as Blues boss, he publicly defended Delap's lack of goals in an interview via the official Chelsea website in February this year.
"That’s the first thing I look for in my strikers (working hard for the team)," Rosenior said of Delap's game.
"I look for people who contribute to the team winning games of football. Liam certainly did that against Hull and has done that in other games as well.
"All strikers want to score goals, of course, that’s why they play the game and what they love to do. But there’s a lot more you need (to win games).
"You need 11 attackers and 11 defenders at all times and Liam defends from the front amazingly well, so does Joao (Pedro). They have contributed to what has been a good record for us recently, and it has to continue."
We really saw Delap's industry on show for Ipswich in 2024-25, when he ranked in the top eight percentile for all Premier League strikers with his 51 fouls won and the leading six per cent with his 157 duels won, per FotMob.
Now, their will be a number of Evertonians reading that and saying, 'hard work and industry is great, but his main job is to score goals and he's not proven in that department in the Premier League', and that would be fair.
But if the words of Enzo Maresca are to come true for him, that problem will eventually be solved in his game.
Why Maresca sees England's future in Delap
Prior to Rosenior taking over as Chelsea manager, Maresca was in the Stamford Bridge hot seat for 18 months between 2024-2026.
The Italian made it clear just how far he thinks Delap can go, not at club level, but on the international stage.
"So he was not even with us. And for sure now that he's with us, I'm going to say again that I don't have any doubt that he can be in the future England number nine," he said.
"(But) I never say to a player you are going to be a first choice. The message is always the same: you arrive, you work hard, you work more than the other number nine and you are going to be number nine first-choice. So the conversation with Liam has been quite clear."
Fast-approaching his 33rd birthday, the man he would be replacing as England's number nine, Harry Kane, doesn't appear close to slowing down just yet.
But by the time Delap is in his mid-20s, the Bayern Munich star may be ready to hand the baton over, and currently, Delap doesn't feel particularly close to being the one receiving it.
There is clearly a player in there though, as this testimony from a few of his recent gaffers proves, and Everton could be rewarded greatly for taking a chance on him this summer whilst his stock is low.