Liam Delap has completed a club-record £50m transfer to Nottingham Forest from Chelsea, signing a five-year deal at the City Ground. The striker spent just one year at Stamford Bridge.
Delap expressed his enthusiasm for the move, stating he spoke to manager Oliver Glasner and likes his approach, believing Glasner can help him develop and bring goals to the club. He added that the team aims to build something strong and challenge to be a top Premier League club.
The £50m outlay for Delap, who scored one league goal last season, represents a £20m profit for Chelsea. At 23 years old, Delap has previously scored goals in the Premier League, notably 12 for Ipswich in the 2024-25 season.
His previous success at Ipswich was attributed to a manager who played to his strengths of power, physicality, and ability to carry the ball at pace. However, his time at Chelsea saw a drop in form, scoring three goals in 47 appearances, with struggles attributed to managerial changes, injuries, and a different game plan.
Forest manager Oliver Glasner's tactical setup, which tends to prefer playing without the ball and attacking directly at pace, is expected to suit Delap's natural assets. Glasner also has a recent history of improving centre-forwards, as seen with Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace.