Delap isn't coming back here for a support role. He's the main man at ipswich, he's doing well there and has a taste of it now, coming back here to that kind of role is a backward step when you look at the options he will have.
he'll have admirers in the premier league when they go down that will be willing to make him their main guy. If they're middling sides, its still a better prospect as he can prove himself there playing every week and then perhaps push for a bigger move but he might even have a club in similar stature to us come straight in for him this summer.
arsenal and Chelsea both need a striker, Dippers might be after one too if they dump that donkey Nunez, if newcastle had to sell isak, hes a great potential replacement and looking much further down, united would love to have him.
If we had loaned him out last season instead of selling, we'd obviously be in control of his immediate future but also I think it's much more likely he's willing to come back and accept a lesser role. just don't see why he'd do that now though.
Shame because if he's still on our books, he'd be a brilliant alternative to haaland for us next season. We could play the same way, we would be able to manage Haaland better and we'd be able to find him enough minutes, we'd also have the option of throwing them both in, if we're chasing games having both on the pitch in thr box is potentially a potent and somewhat old school weapon.