With just five Premier League games remaining this season, Ipswich Town are destined for the drop back down to the Championship and a loss to Newcastle United this weekend would seal that fate. Even worse for McKenna’s side is that it was revealed that Delap has a £30M relegation release clause that several clubs will look to trigger in the coming months.
The 22-year-old striker has enjoyed an eye-catching debut campaign in the Premier League and has been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United, along with a plethora of other top sides. McKenna was asked whether he felt the front man was ready to play for a 'big club' and said he can play anywhere in the world.
"I don't know who it would be accepted by, because that's not by myself or Ipswich. Liam's focus is still here and finishing the season as strong as possible. As I've said before, I think there's certainly a possibility that he's an Ipswich player next year. I don't think anything's decided in anyone's mind.
"But can Liam play for the biggest clubs in the country, the biggest clubs in the world? He certainly can. I fully believe that.
"He's already shown the impact he can have at Premier League level in a team that have really been fighting for everything. I think he can have an outstanding impact at this level.
"But he's also very young and he's playing his first season of Premier League football.”
Delap joined Ipswich from Manchester City last summer for just £20M, meaning Town are set to make a small profit on the young striker. McKenna acknowledged that a move is likely this summer and hopes he will go on to have a great career outside of the club.
"He's not played a huge amount of minutes as a leading striker in a team before and he's still learning and getting better all the time.
"What's right for Liam? What's right for Ipswich? All those factors will come into play in the summer, and the right decision will be made.
"But he's happy and he's developing really well here. He has the potential. I think he will, in his career, go on to do some really, really good things."