Enzo Maresca reveals perfect striker signing for Chelsea this summer

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has stated that the club’s ideal striker signing this summer would be a player in the mould of Nicolas Jackson.

However, he also highlighted that “fantastic” Liam Delap will be an “enemy” when the in-demand Ipswich Town forward visits Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The Blues are actively searching for a new striker, with Delap emerging as one of the key targets.

The 22-year-old has impressed in the Premier League this season, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 30 appearances for Ipswich.

If the Tractor Boys face relegation, Delap’s £40million release clause will drop to £30million, prompting Chelsea and other clubs to take notice.

Although Delap is a target for Chelsea, Maresca believes the club already has the “perfect” striker in Jackson.

The Senegal international, who is Chelsea’s first-choice striker, has netted nine goals this season but has been sidelined recently due to a hamstring injury.

“My perfect No9 is exactly Nico Jackson. We already have a No9. It’s not summer now,” Enzo Maresca said.

“If we can have a copy of Nico, it’s OK. I have said many times, with Nico we are a better team. Nico is the one we need.”

Delap was on target in December when relegation-threatened Ipswich stunned Chelsea 2-0 at Portman Road in the reverse fixture.

Maresca added: “In terms of numbers, he’s doing fantastic. I think he’s scored 12 [Premier League] goals already.

“It’s not just in terms of his numbers — [it’s] the way he plays and fights and is always there. But he’s an Ipswich player. He’s an enemy on Sunday because we need to beat them, and then after the game I wish him all the best for the future.

“In the first game, he was quite good for them. We need to deal with that, and we need to do much, much better compared to the first game [the loss at Ipswich].”