Liam Delap has been advised to leave Chelsea amid growing links to Everton, as his playing time and impact at Stamford Bridge remain limited.
The 23-year-old striker joined Chelsea in June 2025 for around £30 million from Ipswich Town but managed just one Premier League goal in 28 appearances last season.
Chelsea's recruitment of new attacking players this summer has further clouded Delap's future at the club.
Former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink emphasized the urgency for Delap to find regular football to revive his career.
"He needs football.
He cannot have another season like he had last season at Chelsea," Hasselbaink told WhoScored's The State of Play podcast.
Hasselbaink explained that for Delap, going out on loan or transferring is crucial because sitting on the bench at his age would hinder his development.
"He needs to kickstart his career again, score goals, and get that feeling again because every time he played for Chelsea, it felt a little bit like he was up against it," Hasselbaink added.
The former England Under-21 international has five years left on his Chelsea contract, and a loan move appears most probable as the club looks to manage its squad amid new management under Xabi Alonso.
Hasselbaink also noted Delap's potential, saying, "Even though I think that he's a very good player, and even though I think he can become a top-four club kind of striker, he needs games."
He stressed that Chelsea's need for immediate goals limited Delap's chances, with Joao Pedro often preferred.
Everton manager David Moyes showed strong interest in signing Delap last year, but the striker chose Chelsea over Everton and Manchester United at that time.
Moyes remains keen to strengthen Everton's attacking options, especially after his current forwards showed mixed performances last season.
Delap's qualities, such as his physicality and work rate, have impressed Moyes, who believes the striker's struggles at Chelsea were circumstantial rather than due to a lack of ability.
Should Delap move to Everton, a loan-to-buy deal is considered likely, providing him with a chance to regain confidence and regular playing time while offering Everton much-needed firepower upfront.
Meanwhile, speculation about Harry Kane's potential return to the Premier League, possibly to Chelsea, could further reduce Delap's opportunities, reinforcing the need for a move.
