According to reports, ‘one key advantage’ is boosting Manchester United’s chances of beating Liverpool and Chelsea in the race to sign Liam Delap.

The 22-year-old progressed through the ranks at Man City, who sold him to Premier League rivals Ipswich Town during last year’s summer transfer window.

Delap shone on loan in the Championship with Hull City last season, and joined newly-promoted Ipswich for around £20m.

The England U21 international has surpassed expectations this term, grabbing ten goals and two assists in 31 appearances for Kieran McKenna’s struggling side.

Ipswich are unlikely to retain Delap following their expected relegation, as he is attracting interest from several Big Six sides ahead of this summer.

READ: Man Utd: Rashford, Garnacho and Greenwood among £231m sextet who could fund summer rebuild

Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are likely to be in the market for a new striker this summer, and Delap represents a cheaper solution with his reported £40m release clause.

The Red Devils are crying out for a new striker as Rasmus Hojlund and Joshuz Zirkzee have been heavily criticised for their poor performances this season.

Delap’s Premier League experience is a factor in his favour, with the potential alternatives including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Osimhen, who are among the contenders to be this year’s leading scorer in Europe.

Regarding Delap, a report from The Daily Mail claims Man Utd have ‘internally stepped up’ with ‘one key advantage’ boosting Ruben Amorim’s side in a ‘five-way battle’.

‘Manchester United have held more discussions internally over a potential summer move for Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

‘United will face competition from a number of rivals including Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and his old club Manchester City who have a buyback option on the 22-year-old.’

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‘One advantage in their favour is that technical director Jason Wilcox knows Delap well from his time at City’s academy.

‘A striker is one of United’s priorities in the transfer market this summer, and they will try to fund a deal by offloading Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.’

It is also claimed that a summer ‘swap deal’ involving Osimhen is ‘feasible’.

‘Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, is another striker on United’s radar and that could feasibly involve a swap deal involving Alejandro Garnacho who was linked with the Italian club in January.

‘Rashford has a £40m option in his loan deal at Aston Villa, and it’s understood he could join other clubs for a similar fee.

‘There is an obligation for Chelsea to turn Sancho’s loan into a permanent move worth between £22-25m, although Confidential revealed that the Londoners will face a financial penalty – since confirmed as £5m – if they break that agreement and sign another winger instead.’

Manchester United starlet Leny Yoro has backed one of his teammates to “become one of the world’s best strikers” following his breakout season.

The Red Devils have been woeful in attack this season, as they are 14th in our open-play Premier League table.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have massively underperformed, while 17-year-old Chido Obi-Martin has broken into United’s first team.

The teenage forward left Arsenal to join Man Utd at the start of this season and has impressed in cameo appearances for Ruben Amorim’s side this term.

Obi-Martin has huge potential, and Yoro reckons he could “become one of the world’s best” in his position.

“Chido is talented. He can become one of the world’s best strikers in my opinion, if he continues his development,” Yoro said.

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“He scores a lot of goals and is a good boy, so I also hope that he will become one of the best.

“He has had his chance in a few games, and I, of course, hope that he will soon open his goal account in the first team. That will help the team.”

Obi-Martin was not involved as Man Utd lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night as he lined up against Aston Villa in the semi-final of FA Youth Cup on Monday. Amorim explained this decision ahead of his side’s defeat at The City Ground.

“He is going to play [on Monday] because we try to imagine the next game and if you look before he was on the bench and just played against Fulham, but just 10 minutes at the end of the game, and we have to manage the minutes, we have to give the minute stop the kid,” Amorim said.

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“So tomorrow I try to imagine the game, I imagine also it is really important for our young kids to feel the energy also of the game.

“It is really important for us, we are trying to win that competition, trying to build something with the youth, and the good thing with the academy players is they have that feeling of winning.

“So we are trying to to manage everything and Chido needs to play also, so we are helping the team and the player.”

Without Obi-Martin, Amorim played Harry Maguire as a makeshift striker as Man Utd were chasing the game.

Amorim used Maguire in this role because he is the “best player in the team” in one aspect.

“In the end of the game, when the opponent is protecting the box, they are comfortable,” Amorim said.

“We can reach the final third but we have to put the ball into the box, as it is hard to make the combinations. Harry Maguire, when he is attacking set pieces, is maybe the best player in the team.

“Inside the box, you are not a defender, you are a striker. Put one man who is really good in there to score the goal.”

Former Man Utd coach Rene Meulensteen has revealed that Red Devils winger Alejandro Garnacho has “a personality and character issue”.

The Red Devils have been poor in the Premier League this season with Ruben Amorim’s side currently floundering in 13th place in the table.

Man Utd have struggled to score goals this season with only six clubs in the Premier League scoring fewer goals than the Red Devils.

Although Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund have taken most of the flak as their primary position is a striker, Garnacho and other Man Utd attacking players also need to produce more.

Garnacho has provided four goals and one assist in the Premier League this term and there were reports that Napoli and Chelsea were interested in signing him in the January transfer window.

A move never materialised but there have been rumours recently that Man Utd will consider offers for the Argentina international as they attempt to raise funds for a summer rebuild.

READ: Mediawatch: Rashford ‘could play for Manchester United again’ – if finger-pointing Ruben Amorim suddenly resigns

Antony Elanga scored the only goal of the game as Nottingham Forest beat the Red Devils 1-0 at the City Ground and ex-Man Utd coach Meulensteen thinks the Forest star is a better suited to Old Trafford than Garnacho.

Meulensteen told Poker Firma: “I’ve never been sold on Alejandro Garnacho to be fairly honest. I think there’s a personality and character issue at times. Anthony Elanga on the other hand, his performance last night is exactly what you want to expect from a Manchester United winger – strong, direct, powerful, full of confidence and taking players on.

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“I always thought Elanga showed those glimpses when he was playing for Man United, but the club closed the door on him and his career has restarted at a different club. You really have to question the decision-making process to let players like him go, because there’s been a few who have slipped through the fingers.”

Bruno Fernandes has been linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent days but Amorim dismissed the chance of him leaving in the summer transfer window.

But Meulensteen thinks the Man Utd captain “would fit like a glove” at the Bernabeu with Real Madrid likely to welcome a player with Fernandes’ passing range.

Meulensteen added: “I think people sometimes question the way Bruno Fernandes likes to get his feelings across. But one thing for me is certain – he’s an absolute winner. He plays all the games, he’s never injured, and he’s very committed to Manchester United and wants the best for the club.

“Every footballer has ambitions. I’m sure he wants to win trophies for Man United, but if a team like Real Madrid were to come knocking for him in the summer, he would fit like a glove there. Luka Modric is turning 40 soon and Madrid need someone in midfield with that kind of passing range who can supply Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. With Bruno Fernandes’ passing range, Real Madrid would be unbelievable, and their forward line would become even better!”

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