Perry Groves believes Arsenal missed a trick by not signing Liam Delap ahead of Chelsea.
Arsenal are in the market for a new striker this summer and have already held talks with Sporting CP for Viktor Gyokeres and with RB Leipzig for Benjamin Sesko.
Chelsea, meanwhile, won the race with Manchester United to sign Liam Delap, who had a £30 million relegation clause in his deal with Ipswich Town.
The 22-year-old made his debut for Chelsea as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC in the opening game of their Club World Cup campaign.
And former Arsenal midfielder Groves believes Arsenal should have made a move for Chelsea’s new striker in the January transfer window.
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‘The big talking point is about Liam Delap,’ Groves told talkSPORT.
‘I said, ‘why is he still on the bench, why haven’t you bought him on at the start of the second half?’.
‘He made your team look different just by his movement, the first bit of action he had he went long, came short, then he span.
‘The midfield players know straight away his movement is excellent. His movement for Enzo Fernandez’s goal is outstanding, and the cross into the six-yard-box was perfect, and when you see the replay he’s put swazz on it.
‘I think he’s going to make a massive difference to Chelsea, and I said that Arsenal should have bought him in January for £40m.
‘He’s got a bit of edge you want in a centre-forward. He’s got a bit of an edge about him, when you sign for a new club, he’s a big signing, he’s a young player, he scored goals for Ipswich last season, you’re on trial.
‘Your first training session, they [Delap’s Chelsea teammates] are looking at you thinking, ‘are you as good as you think you are?’.
‘He has just gone in there and looks like he’s settled. The way he’s come on in the second half is like, ‘I’m going to be centre-forward’.
‘But what that does for the rest of the team, if you Caicedo, Fernandez, Lavia, Neto, Cole Palmer… it gives you more belief because you actually thinking when you get the ball you know someone is going to make those runs and spin, they know they’ve got a presence in the box.
‘The only thing they’re going to have to get used to is when it’s in the wide areas, especially when it goes to Madueke, Neto not so much, you’re going to have to get the ball in the box a lot earlier. He’s going to be demanding crosses come into the box.
‘But to come on for that cameo appearance, he did have a massive impact, not just with his assist but with his general play, his hold up play, spinning in behind, he’ll know after, ‘I’ve proved to the players I belong here’, even in that little bit of time.’
Meanwhile, Jason Cundy believes the arrival of Delap at Chelsea will finally provide the competition that Nicolas Jackson has needed.
‘Jackson… he’s a bit hit and miss at times,’ Cundy said.
‘There’s a lot to improve on, a huge amount to improve on, there’s a lot to like but there’s more to come, there has to be more to come.
‘What we’ve seen of Jackson is not enough. We’ve seen glimpses, there’s lot to like, there’s more to improve on than like in my opinion.
‘But there’s something there. Competition… every top club has to have competition, without any competition you’re not going to be at your very best.
‘And I think Jackson has been let down slightly by Chelsea because there hasn’t been that competition.’
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