Manchester United are about to discover just how damaging Europa League final defeat really was

The summer transfer window has not even officially opened for business yet and Manchester United have already suffered their first setback.

After identifying Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap as their top target to strengthen their attacking options this summer, United look set to miss out on the England Under-21 international to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The Manchester Evening News understands Delap is leaning towards joining the Londoners and wants to get his future resolved ahead of the Under-21 European Championship getting underway on June 11.

United had identified Delap, 22, as their priority target and considered him an attainable option amid his £30million release clause that had been triggered following Ipswich's relegation to the Championship.

Delap scored 12 goals in his first full season as a top flight player. And as respectable as Delap's return was in a team that secured just four league wins all season, signing a striker after just one season's worth of experience at the highest level did signify a gamble.

United took a gamble on Rasmus Hojlund in the 2023 summer transfer window and followed suit with their decision to sign Joshua Zirkzee last summer. Those gambles cost United £108.5m.

Of course, the difference with Delap is that he has experience of playing in the Premier League. Nevertheless, he is still raw and yet to prove himself as the seasoned goalscorer United are craving.

The problem for United, however, is that they are not blessed with a bottomless pit. Ruben Amorim has already warned they "cannot do much" this summer and chief executive Omar Berrada has said they must be "prudent". Those two admissions alone make it clear why United were attracted to Delap.

To make matters worse, United