Nottingham Forest are making significant progress in their pursuit of Chelsea striker Liam Delap, with talks between the two Premier League clubs advancing ahead of the transfer deadline.
According to Sky Sports, Forest are working hard to beat competition from Everton and other interested clubs for the 23-year-old. Chelsea are prepared to sanction Delap’s departure after he slipped down the pecking order under Xabi Alonso, although they value the striker at around £50 million.
The Blues only signed Delap from Ipswich Town last summer after activating a £30 million release clause, but his situation at Stamford Bridge has changed considerably.
Nottingham Forest advance Liam Delap talks
Forest are now in advanced discussions with Chelsea as Oliver Glasner pushes for further additions before the window closes. Delap and his representatives are also working to identify the best solution, with regular first-team football likely to be an important consideration.
Any agreement is expected to contain a permanent element, whether through an outright transfer or a structured arrangement providing Chelsea with a route to a future sale.
The interest is not new
They pursued Delap last summer following his impressive spell at Ipswich, but the striker ultimately chose Chelsea. With his opportunities now limited in West London, Forest have returned to the negotiating table.
Delap has recently been training away from Alonso’s first-team group and was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their Premier League meeting with Fulham on Monday, further indicating that an exit is possible.
Glasner pushing for two more additions
Delap could become another important piece of Glasner’s rebuild at the City Ground. Forest have already brought in Ousmane Diomande, Xaver Schlager and Steven Benda this summer, with Diomande arriving from Sporting Lisbon for around £34m.
However, Glasner still wants two additional high-quality signings before the deadline, with another wing-back also among his priorities following his switch to a three-man defensive system. Everton remain interested in Delap, meaning Forest will need to move quickly if they want to secure his signature.
Delap’s Chelsea move has clearly not developed as anticipated, but at 23 there is plenty of time for him to establish himself elsewhere. Forest could offer something particularly important: a clearer pathway to regular Premier League football.
Chelsea’s £50 million valuation is substantial considering they paid £30 million only last summer, so the structure of any agreement could become decisive. With talks advancing and Forest clearly pushing to get the deal done, Delap is increasingly looking like one of the major names to watch during the final week of the window.
