Nottingham Forest Pursue Liam Delap from Chelsea
Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal for Liam Delap, pushing to add a sharper edge to Oliver Glasner’s attack before the transfer window shuts, according to the Daily Mail.
Forest’s proposal is understood to be a loan with an option to buy next summer, a structure that would allow Glasner to test Delap at Premier League level without committing to an immediate permanent fee. The urgency is clear. Forest’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Leeds United at the weekend underlined a familiar problem: plenty of effort, not enough ruthlessness in front of goal.
Delap stuck in reverse at Chelsea
For Delap, the timing is brutal but unsurprising. His Chelsea career has stalled badly.
He arrived from Ipswich Town carrying momentum and expectation after a strong spell at Portman Road, but the step up to Stamford Bridge has proved heavy. Just one league goal in his debut season, then a steady slide out of the picture.
The clearest sign yet came in Chelsea’s recent Premier League win over Fulham. Delap didn’t feature at all. For a young striker trying to convince a new manager, that kind of omission speaks loudly. Inside the club, there is now an openness to offers, and the message is obvious: his long-term future is likely to be elsewhere.
The symbolic blows have followed. Joao Pedro has taken the No.9 shirt for the new campaign, a reward for his outstanding first season and a public nod to his status as Alonso’s main man up front. Delap, once touted as a future focal point, has been pushed back to the No.12 jersey.
On the pitch board, the picture is even harsher. Nicolas Jackson and summer signing Marc Guiu sit ahead of him in the pecking order. For a former Manchester City academy prospect who left to find a clearer pathway, the route to regular minutes under Alonso now looks almost completely blocked.
Forest lead the chase – but not alone
That blockage has alerted a queue of suitors. Forest are at the front of it, but they are not alone.
Several Premier League clubs have tracked Delap’s situation through the summer. Ipswich Town, where he rebuilt his reputation and confidence, have weighed up bringing him back. Everton, too, are hovering, ready to move if the market tilts their way. The Toffees are thought to be considering a loan should permanent bids from elsewhere fail to land.
Forest, though, can offer something powerful: a central role in a rebuild that already has serious backing.
At the City Ground, Glasner is reshaping his squad with clear intent. Forest have already paid £36m to bring in defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP, a statement signing at the back. They have also worked the free-agent market smartly, adding midfielder Xaver Schlager and goalkeeper Steve Benda to deepen the squad.
Those moves have been made possible by a huge outgoing. Elliot Anderson’s £116m switch to Manchester City has given Forest fresh financial muscle and the freedom to chase targets like Delap without breaching their limits.
Wider rebuild at the City Ground
Delap is not the only attacking option on Forest’s radar. The club are also monitoring Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy, another player with proven Premier League minutes who could inject pace and directness out wide.
Again, Everton are in the mix, eyeing Murphy as they scan the same market for attainable top-flight experience. It underlines the type of profile Forest want: players who either know the league or possess the kind of upside that can translate quickly.
Glasner doesn’t want projects for two years’ time. He wants players who can land and contribute now.
Chelsea clear the decks, Delap waits
Back at Chelsea, the clear-out continues. Despite Delap having five years left on his contract, he is one of several forwards the club are ready to move on as they trim a bloated squad under Alonso.
Squad numbers have shifted, familiar faces have been nudged towards the exit, and the hierarchy is leaning into a leaner, more defined group. Delap has become collateral in that process.
The striker, though, is in no rush to jump at the first offer. He is understood to prefer staying in the Premier League and is prepared to wait for the right domestic move rather than heading abroad. Italian side Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, explored the idea of taking him to Serie A, but England remains his priority.
So the stage is set. Forest want goals, Delap wants a platform, Chelsea want clarity. If the numbers line up and the loan structure suits all sides, the City Ground could soon be the place where a stalled career tries to ignite again.
