Nottingham Forest are trying to push forward a move for Liam Delap, with Chelsea central to ongoing talks as the club look to strengthen up front.
- Forest are pursuing Delap, with Chelsea central to ongoing talks.
- Chelsea have reportedly set a valuation of around £50m.
- Forest’s need for another striker has sharpened following Taiwo Awoniyi’s move to Coventry City.
Liam Delap’s current situation at Chelsea
Liam Delap is currently on the books at Chelsea, and Nottingham Forest are working to advance a move by making direct contact with the club while discussions over the striker remain live. It remains an active pursuit rather than an agreed deal.
Forest’s need for another centre-forward has become more urgent after Awoniyi’s move to Coventry City. In that context, Delap makes obvious sense as a target. He fits the kind of profile Forest have been looking for in the market: height, physicality, pace, mobility and the ability to run in behind.
His recent Premier League output helps explain the interest. Delap scored 12 goals in 37 matches in 2024, starting 32 of those games.
Chelsea’s reported valuation of around £50m looks like the starting point for negotiations rather than any kind of settled fee. The immediate issue is whether Forest can make progress in talks with both Chelsea and the player’s camp without the story moving beyond the discussion stage too early.
Premier League interest and Delap’s next step
Delap’s situation has drawn interest elsewhere in the Premier League too, with Leeds United and Everton both linked.
A Premier League stay is understood to be Delap’s preference if he leaves Chelsea, which gives Forest’s pursuit clear footballing logic without suggesting he has already chosen the City Ground.
Chelsea have also kept Delap involved in their first-team picture across several competitions during the 2024/25 season. Forest are pursuing a striker who has remained part of Chelsea’s senior setup while his future stays open.
What a move could mean for Forest and Delap
Bringing in a forward with Delap’s style could give the squad another direct option, one that lines up neatly with the recruitment priorities attached to the role.
A move to Forest could offer continuity in Delap’s career, giving him the chance to compete for a prominent role rather than simply waiting for the picture to change elsewhere.
If Forest and Chelsea can bridge that reported valuation gap and talks with Delap continue to move in the right direction, the move could make sense for both player and club. Delap would remain on a Premier League track while Forest add another option to their squad.
