Liam Delap has been advised to quit Chelsea for Everton and use the move to revive his career, with former Everton senior scout Bryan King pointing to Romelu Lukaku's example as the ideal model to follow. After a challenging first season in West London, the striker has been told to consider the same kind of switch Lukaku made in the early stages of his career.

Delap urged towards Everton move

Everton are reportedly looking at a move for 23-year-old Chelsea forward Delap in the ongoing summer transfer window after he found it difficult to establish himself at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are believed to be open to selling the former Manchester City academy player in order to recover most of the £30 million they paid Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025. King, who previously worked as a senior scout at Everton, feels a transfer to Merseyside would be the right step to get the attacker back on track.

Lukaku route seen as inspiration

King feels Lukaku's outstanding Everton record, which saw him score 87 goals in 166 matches and become the club's highest Premier League-era scorer with 68 goals, should be the main reference point for Delap if he wants to rebuild his career at Goodison Park.

Speaking about the situation, King said: "If I was Delap and I got the shout from Everton, I'd be thinking: 'Christ alive, yeah. Look who went to Everton and became a really good player. Lukaku.'"

"He went on loan and really made his name up at Everton, didn't he? And it was a great path for him, you know, to open the doors to greater things," he continued.

Looking back at Lukaku's early progress, King added: "You know, I must admit, when he came to Everton as a young player, I can remember seeing him playing in a tournament in La Manga when he was 17. Powerful and strong he was, and what a wonderful finisher he was off his left foot. It was a great era for Belgian players then."

"[Thibaut] Courtois and [Youri] Tielemans and, you know, all these kind of players. So, if he got the chance to go to Everton, I'd take it. Even if he's on loan for the year," King concluded.

Blues' attacking options leave Delap squeezed

Chelsea, according to reports, are planning to reduce their six-man senior striker group after Danny Welbeck's arrival. With Joao Pedro expected to remain at the club and sign a new contract, Delap is now viewed as one of the leading candidates to be sold for more than £30 million. Nicolas Jackson, valued at £65 million, and Marc Guiu, who carries a £25 million valuation, are also among the names under consideration. That congestion in attack could hand Everton a strong opening as officials at Stamford Bridge try to cut down their forward options.

Playing-time concerns remain

Everton must now choose whether to make a loan approach or push for a permanent deal before the transfer window shuts. For Delap, staying at Chelsea under a long-term contract that runs until 2031 could leave him facing very limited minutes and stalled development.