Liam Delap sends clear warning message to Nicolas Jackson over striker position after Chelsea debut.

  Liam Delap has issued a clear warning to Nicolas Jackson over the striker role at Chelsea.  

Liam Delap was on the assist sheet for the Blues in their 2-0 win over American outfit Los Angeles F.C on Monday evening. The Englishman assisted Enzo Fernandez's goal in the 80th minute. Delap is not going to make things easy for Jackson, with the Englishman already making it clear that he is going to thrive off the competition.

Speaking to DAZN after the LAFC game, he said:

 “I think it’s always healthy to have competition. It’s football and this is an incredible club, so it’s always going to be hard. But I think you’ve got to thrive off the competition.”

Last season, Jackson did not have too much competition, with 19-year-old Marc Guiu being the only other recognised centre-forward in Chelsea’s squad.

The 2025/26 campaign will be a different story, however, following the arrival of Delap. And Maresca has admitted that he is intrigued to see how his first-choice striker responds to the threat of losing his spot to the club’s new signing.

Speaking after Chelsea’s victory over LAFC, Maresca said: 

“Yes, very pleased. I am curious to see how Nico reacts (to Delap). He competed with Guiu who is very young during the season. They are both good No.9s.”

Jackson looked up for the fight at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday after linking up well with Cole Palmer. 

But the Senegal international failed to convert his chances. Liam Delap made a statement debut with an assist in his very first game.