This summer, Liam Delap is Manchester United’s top priority for a striker.

Last week, Mail Sport reported that if Ipswich were demoted from the Premier League, United was prepared to activate Delap’s release clause, which is worth almost £40 million.

It is now known that the 22-year-old is their clear favorite, ahead of Victor Osimhen of Napoli and other possible targets like Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt and Victor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon.

In Saturday’s loss to Wolves, which saw Ipswich move closer to the relegation, Delap added to his already rising reputation by scoring his 12th Premier League goal of the year.

Twenty-four hours later, United’s pathetic need for a quality striker was once again made clear when they lost to Manchester City in a dull Old Trafford derby without scoring.

In the £20 million agreement that saw Delap depart the Etihad for Portman Road last summer, City had the option to buy him back. That transaction is also said to be worth about £40 million.

Delap wants consistent first-team play, something he would find difficult to obtain with Erling Haaland firmly established as the starting quarterback, but it is known that City is unlikely to re-sign him.

In addition, City included a 20% sell-on clause in Delap’s transfer to Ipswich, meaning that if United were to sign him, they would have to pay their neighbors almost £8 million.

Although they are still up against a lot of competition for the England Under-21 striker, Jason Wilcox, United’s technical director, knows Delap from their time together at City.

He is being pursued by a number of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Newcastle, and Liverpool, as well as other international clubs.

One of the other goals is Osimhen, and United may use Rasmus Hojlund as a makeweight or transfer Alejandro Garnacho to Napoli in exchange for the Nigerian striker from the Italians. Before relocating from Atalanta to Old Trafford, the Dane played in Serie A.