EPL: Delap completes £50m move to Nottingham Forest

Liam Delap signs for Chelsea. Photo: Chelsea Website

Liam Delap has completed a club-record £50m transfer from Chelsea to Nottingham Forest, signing a five-year contract at the City Ground.

The 23-year-old striker joins Forest after just one season at Stamford Bridge, where he scored only one Premier League goal.

Delap is hoping the move will revive his career and help him rediscover the form he showed during his breakthrough Premier League season with Ipswich in 2024-25.

He scored 12 league goals for Ipswich that campaign, despite playing for a side that won just four games and was relegated.

His performances attracted Chelsea, who signed him for around £30m. A year later, Chelsea have reportedly made a £20m profit by selling him to Forest for £50m.

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Delap’s physical strength, pace and ability to carry the ball were among the qualities that made him so effective at Ipswich. He recorded 26 shot-ending carries that season — the most by any Premier League striker.

Now at Forest, Delap will work under manager Oliver Glasner, who he believes can help him take the next step in his development.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, reacting to the transfer, Delap was quoted as saying, “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.”

Forest will hope Delap can reproduce the form that made him one of the Premier League’s most promising young strikers and justify the club-record investment.

Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.

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