Alan Shearer believes Newcastle United should be looking to sign Chelsea striker Liam Delap this summer, but has warned his former club they will face competition from clubs such as Aston Villa.
Delap was linked with a move to St James' Park last summer, but opted to join Chelsea after an impressive season with Ipswich Town. The Englishman's future at Stamford Bridge is now uncertain, with Joao Pedro established as the club's main striker.
Shearer: Delap's next move is crucial
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer said: "I thought it was a poor move for him going to Chelsea anyway, because he was never ever going to be the number one choice there. It would have been far better off going to another Premier League club where he was going to play regularly and gain more experience and gain more minutes."
He added: "His next move is really important. But I think the move he makes now will probably be the move he should have made before Chelsea. So, he's lost a year of valuable learning time. But there's no doubt there's talent in there. It's whether someone can get it out of him."
Delap tipped to join a mid-range club
Shearer believes Delap has a huge decision to make and cannot afford another wrong choice. "We've seen the talent at Ipswich, so there's definitely something in there. So, it's a really important move for him and a really important year because he has to get out and he has to play," he said.
"Clearly that's not going to happen at Chelsea. So wherever he goes, I think you'll see a better Delap this season. Wherever he goes, first of all he has to play and play regularly, as tough as that will be because he didn't play a lot last season and there will be frustration there."
Shearer does not expect Delap to join a top-six club. "I don't think he will go to a top six club, so I guess it will be a mid-range team that could push for European football. You could look at Aston Villa, Newcastle or someone like that. It all just depends on how much Chelsea are looking to get for him," he added.
Newcastle expected to strengthen squad
Newcastle are expected to bolster their squad before the summer transfer window closes, with head coach Matthias Jaissle making it clear the club know which areas of the pitch they need to strengthen.
"There is a chance that before you retire, there will be something, so that gives pressure to the sporting director," Jaissle joked in response to PA journalist Damian Spellman. "But there is also time afterwards. We want to be efficient in the transfer market, but also smart in our approach so we only do the right things, we don't feel hectic or the pressure from outside, we go our way."
