Nottingham Forest have signed forward, Liam Delap from Chelsea for £50m.
Delap’s move to Forest came after 14 tough months at Chelsea in which he scored three goals in 47 appearances, and helped them win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup just weeks after he completed his transfer from Ipswich Town.
Chelsea’s new manager, Xabi Alonso however didn’t view Delap as part of his long-term plans which led the Blues to accept a £50m total package off, consisting of £45m fixed fee plus £5m add-ons from Forest for the 25-year-old, who has signed a five-year contract until June 2031.
Delap is excited about beginning a new chapter at Forest and playing under Oliver Glasner who he believes can help him improve his game.
“I really can’t wait to get started, this is a massive club with a big history.
“I spoke to the manager and I like his way, I think he can be the one to really help me develop and make that next step and hopefully I can bring goals here.
“I can’t wait to hear the noise at the City Ground and have the fans on my side because I know how loud and important they are.
“As a team we can build something really strong and the main aim is to challenge and be a top club in the Premier League.”
Forest’s Chief Football Officer, George Syrianos added: “Liam is a top talent and someone we have been monitoring for some time, and we are delighted he is joining us.
“He is a young player but already has plenty of experience at different levels of the game, and he has come here hungry to develop further and play a part in helping the club achieve its ambitions.
“He understands the demands of this division and wants to make an immediate impact, so we are all looking forward to seeing him in a Forest shirt.”
Delap began his career at Derby County in their academy before he transferred to Manchester City and graduated into their first-team squad, in which he scored one goal in six appearances across the 2020-21 and 21-22 seasons.
During his time at City, Delap enjoyed loan spells at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City across which he netted 12 goals in 70 combined appearances, before he joined Ipswich in summer 2024 and netted 12 goals in 40 appearances in his single season at Portman Road.
Leave a Reply