ATLANTA — Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca said Sunday he is confident new signing Liam Delap will become England’s number nine after Harry Kane.

Bayern Munich striker Kane, 31, has led the line for England for most of the last decade, but Delap is showing great potential, which led Chelsea to snap him up for £30 million (US$41 million) from relegated Ipswich Town earlier this month.

“I don’t have any doubt that he can be in the future England’s number nine,” said Chelsea’s coach on the eve of their Club World Cup opener against Los Angeles FC, when asked if Delap could succeed Kane.

Maresca would not confirm if the 22-year-old forward will start at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday but said Delap was not showing any nerves after taking the Blues’ number nine shirt.

Chelsea have signed several high-profile strikers in recent years who have struggled at the club, including Fernando Torres, Romelu Lukaku and Alvaro Morata.