From rugby teenagers to Premier League champions: How does Chelsea new player Drapp become the new striker!

Rising star Liam Drapp in English football has grown from his childhood rugby stadium to a powerful striker in the Premier League, and now joining the Premier League giant Chelsea, his growth trajectory is both alternative and inspiring.

Youth Fame: From the "monster" physique to the campus legend

For Drapp, "body" has always been the keyword.

In his teenage rugby game, the coach usually only said one thing: "Transfer the ball to the child who looks like an adult." The opponent had no choice but to resist, and his figure overwhelmed everything.

Nearly ten years have passed, and he scored 12 goals in his full first season of Premier League relegation team Ipswich, giving the opponent's central defender a headache. That impact is still amazing.

Chelsea can sign the 22-year-old striker with a £30 million termination fee, which is an excellent deal - the Premier League club that has considered him is rumored to be halfway, including Manchester United and Newcastle.

"He is one of the best forwards in football today," said Ipswich coach Kieran McKenna before he left the team.

Family origin: My father is a famous Premier League player, and role models are close to him. Drapp's father, Rory Drapp, is famous for throw-in in Stoke City. Drapp embarked on the road of professional football, which is inseparable from family influence. His father, Rory Draper, is a "throwing expert" in the Premier League. He has played for Derby County, Southampton, Sunderland and Stoke City. He has become famous for his terrifying throw-in skills. Some people even asked him if he is considering throwing javelins in the Olympics.

"I go to watch him play every week, and the atmosphere, the fans, the feeling of the whole game makes me dream." Drapp once described "Sky Sports" this way.

Like his younger brother Finn, who plays for the League One team, Derby County youth training. There, he not only made his mark on the football field, but also swept his opponents on the football field and track field.

He came back from the bathroom halfway through a school team game and scored a hat trick in the last 10 minutes to help the team reverse 4-3.

School physical education teacher Mark Sellers remembers clearly: "He is too fast and strong, and the other children can't stop him at all. Basically, 15 children chase him and run alone, looking like monsters."

Transfer to Manchester City: Stand out of the youth training with geniuses

At the age of 16, Drapp switched to Manchester City youth training. He was selected for England's all-age teams at that time, and the ones who brought him to Manchester City were Joe Shields and Stewart Thompson, who are now at Chelsea.

"I was actually very happy in Derbyshire, but when I went to Manchester City training base and listened to them describing my future blueprint, I changed my mind," he said.

In that talented Manchester City youth training team, he was as famous as Cole Palmer, McCarty, Romeo Lavia and others.

He contributed 1 goal and 2 assists in the 2019/20 U18 Premier League Cup, and then shined at the U21 level. In the 2020/21 season, he set a record of PL2 with 24 goals in 20 games and was elected Player of the Season.

He was only 17 years old that year, and he made his first-team debut against Bournemouth in the British League Cup, becoming Manchester City's youngest goalkeeper in seven years. In the following days, he also made his Premier League debut.

Interestingly, he was in the best stage of youth training at that time, when Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was coaching.

"He is really great." Drapp praised the Italian coach.

Guardiola also called him a "killer British center" and "extremely ending ability".

However, with the arrival of Haaland, Drapp had to choose to rent out. In the 2022/23 season, he was loaned to Stoke and Preston, but his performance was not ideal.

"That time was not going well," he admitted.

In the 2023/24 season, he transferred to Hull City in the Championship and scored 8 goals, and then transferred to Ipswich for £20 million.

Premier League outbreak: Powerful No. 9 Returning to the spotlight

Although Ipswich's overall record is not good, Drapp personally performed amazingly. He scored 12 goals in the Premier League, accounting for 33% of the team's total goals, ranking fourth in the Premier League league.

His first goal was impressive - he drove straight from the midfield and threw away several defenders and scored with great shots.

A few weeks later, he played Aston Villa, and he completed the double hit in a similar way, showing more than one multi-faceted ability to stand.

"He is too difficult to defend." Coach McKenna concluded, "not only the goal, but his presence and suppression on the court are simply unbearable for the opponent."

National team prospects: England or Ireland?

Drapp's rise has also attracted attention from the national team level. Although his father has played 11 times for the Irish national team, he is still in the English youth team system, and the U21 team has played 12 times.

English interim coach Ben Foucher commented on him: "If you want to fight him physically, he is not afraid; if you want to compete with him, you can't beat him."

"He is the top No. 9 player, highly aggressive and a big killer."

Written at the end: Chelsea's X factor?

Now, Drapp has landed on Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea hopes that he will continue to have efficient firepower in West London, and Drapp himself knows his value: "I prefer to score in the penalty area rather than throwing out the outbound ball."

The Premier League chapter belongs to Drapp, which has just opened.