TalkSPORT is reporting that a move for the 23-year-old Chelsea forward becomes significantly more likely if Kieran McKenna is appointed as Marco Silva's successor at Craven Cottage.
Delap's debut season at Chelsea was difficult by any measure. He made 28 Premier League appearances, starting 12, and scored just one goal — a stark contrast to the 12 he managed for Ipswich Town in 2024-25, albeit in a relegated side.
His reputation as one of English football's most promising young strikers remains largely intact, however, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United also linked throughout the season.
The McKenna connection is the key variable. Delap played under the Northern Irishman at Ipswich — where McKenna signed him in a deal from Manchester City — and the pair developed a strong working relationship during the striker's best professional season. If McKenna takes the Fulham job, a move for a player he knows well and believes in becomes a natural first piece of business.
Arne Slot was also considered for the Fulham vacancy but declined after being approached within days of his Liverpool dismissal. McKenna is now among the leading candidates, though no appointment has been confirmed.
Delap is contracted at Chelsea until the summer of 2031.