Stoke win race to sign Man City striker Liam Delap on loan

Stoke City have won the race to sign Manchester City striker Liam Delap on loan for the season.

Delap, 19, is set for a season in the Championship at the bet365 Stadium, following in the footsteps of father, Rory, who made his name at Stoke in the Premier League and where he is now first-team coach.

Pep Guardiola said Delap would be sent out on loan this season after outgrowing academy football, where he won the Premier League 2 Golden Boot and Player of the Year in 2021 before injuries stalled his City progress last season. Now, he will get his first taste of regular senior football at Stoke, who have beaten off competition from second-tier rivals.

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Vincent Kompany at Burnley and West Brom's Steve Bruce had spoken about the possibility of signing Delap on loan this week, while plenty of other Premier League and Championship clubs have been interested in signing him.

City decided to let Delap leave on loan only, rather than sanctioning a permanent move, and there will be no option for the Potters to make the move permanent. He has a contract at City until 2026 and has made six senior appearances for the Blues, scoring once.

Guardiola said at the weekend: "We loaned Macca McAtee, Liam is in that process because we have Erling [Haaland] and Julian [Alvarez] and he needs minutes. The EDS process has gone, is done [for Delap]. He has to try and go there and play."

Delap will follow Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who impressed at Stoke last season on loan before joining Burnley for the season, with fellow academy teammates James McAtee, Tommy Doyle, Lewis Fiorini and Callum Doyle all also on loan in the Championship.

Stoke boss