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Manchester United were on the brink of signing England Under-21s star Liam Delap before a last-minute change of heart saw him join Chelsea instead, it has been claimed. It's been suggested that the prospect of playing Champions League football was a key factor in his decision to join the Blues after suffering relegation with former club Ipswich.

United were tantalisingly close to securing their own Champions League spot, only to lose out in the Europa League final against Tottenham in Bilbao. Despite this setback, they've managed to attract top attacking talent to Old Trafford , but Delap may well be the first big name they've missed out on due to their European disappointment.

The Mail reports that United's deal for Delap was '90% done'. A £30million release clau

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