Nottingham Forest agree club-record £50m deal for Chelsea striker Liam Delap

Nottingham Forest have completed an agreement with Chelsea to sign striker Liam Delap for a club-record fee of £50m during the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old is expected to sign a long-term contract with Forest this week, according to BBC Sport.

Delap joined Chelsea from Ipswich Town for £30m after attracting interest from Manchester United and Everton. However, his first season at Stamford Bridge was disrupted by shoulder and hamstring injuries, and he scored only once for the Blues.

A move to Nottingham Forest would represent a significant investment in a forward who impressed during his time with Ipswich. Delap scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League appearances for the newly promoted side, performances that helped bring him to the attention of Chelsea.

Forest have already been active in the transfer market this summer. They signed Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande for £34m, while Austria international Xaver Schlager and goalkeeper Steve Benda have also joined the club.

The club have meanwhile allowed Elliot Anderson to leave for Manchester City, while striker Taiwo Awoniyi has moved to Coventry City.

Forest’s current attacking options include Chris Wood and Igor Jesus. The proposed arrival of Delap would give manager Nuno Espirito Santo another forward option after the club began their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Leeds.

Delap began his career in the Derby County academy before moving to Manchester City in 2019. He won the FA Youth Cup with City in 2020 and made his senior debut later that year.

His first-team breakthrough came in September 2020, when he scored for Manchester City in a 2-1 League Cup victory over Bournemouth. He made his Premier League debut in a 5-2 defeat by Leicester City.

Delap subsequently gained experience away from the Etihad Stadium through loan spells with Stoke City, Hull City and Preston North End. Manchester City sold him permanently to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2024 for £20m.

His form at Ipswich helped establish him as one of the most promising young English forwards. Across 37 league matches, he found the net 12 times for a side that had only recently secured promotion to the Premier League.

Chelsea then won the race for his signature, paying £30m for the striker after competition from Manchester United and Everton. Injuries limited his contribution in west London, but Forest’s willingness to commit £50m underlines their belief that he can return to the level he showed at Ipswich.

If completed as expected, the transfer would become Nottingham Forest’s record signing. It would also be the latest major change to a squad that has seen several arrivals and departures during the summer, with Forest looking to strengthen after losing their opening league fixture to Leeds.