Forest agree £50m deal for Chelsea striker Delap
August 25, 2026 20:06
Nottingham Forest have reached agreement with Chelsea on a club-record transfer for striker Liam Delap, with the fee reported to be around £50m. The 23-year-old is expected to have a medical and sign a long-term deal at the City Ground this week.
Delap moved to Chelsea a year ago from Ipswich Town for £30m but was placed on the market by Chelsea this summer after a season in which injuries limited his impact. An image caption in the source notes he has scored 13 goals in 67 Premier League appearances.
KEY CONTEXT
- Forest have been active in the transfer market this summer, already bringing in defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting for £34m and free agents Xaver Schlager and goalkeeper Steve Benda.
- The club also sold Elliot Anderson to Manchester City for a reported club-record £116m and striker Taiwo Awoniyi to Coventry City for £9m.
- Chelsea have added forwards Emmanuel Emegha and Danny Welbeck to their squad this window.
- Delap’s pathway: he came through Derby’s youth ranks, joined Manchester City in 2019, featured in their FA Youth Cup win in 2019-20, and scored 24 goals in 20 Premier League 2 games as City won that competition in 2020-21. He made his senior City debut in a League Cup win over Bournemouth in September 2020 and made his Premier League debut three days later. Between 2022 and 2024 he had loan spells at Stoke, Preston North End and Hull City, and in summer 2024 City sold him to Ipswich for £20m; he then scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League matches for the newly promoted side.
WHY IT MATTERS
- If completed, the transfer would be Forest’s record outlay and represents a significant investment in their attacking options.
- Delap’s arrival would add competition up front for Chris Wood and Igor Jesus, who both failed to score in Forest’s 1-0 home defeat to Leeds in their Premier League opener.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Whether Delap passes his medical and formally signs the long-term contract at the City Ground this week.
- How Forest integrate Delap alongside Chris Wood and Igor Jesus and whether his addition alters their attacking output following the opening-day loss.
KEY FACTS
- Fee agreed: around £50m (reported club-record for Nottingham Forest).
- Delap’s age: 23.
- Delap joined Chelsea from Ipswich last summer for £30m and was made available for sale this summer.
- Career totals noted in source: 13 Premier League goals in 67 appearances.
- Forest summer signings/sales include Ousmane Diomande (£34m), Xaver Schlager (free), Steve Benda (free); sales of Elliot Anderson (£116m) and Taiwo Awoniyi (£9m).