Nottingham Forest completed the signing of 23-year-old forward Liam Delap from Chelsea on August 27, 2026, agreeing a five-year contract. The reported initial transfer fee of £45 million is a club record for Forest, with add-ons potentially raising the total to £50 million [1, 2, 3, 4].
Delap scored 12 goals in 37 appearances for Ipswich Town during the 2024-25 Premier League season before joining Chelsea in 2025 for around £30 million. At Chelsea, he made 47 appearances across all competitions and scored three goals [1, 2, 3, 4]. He was part of the Chelsea squad that won the FIFA Club World Cup [1, 2, 4].
The forward is the son of former Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap. He was not in Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso’s plans and was made to train separately prior to the transfer [3].
Delap expressed excitement about joining Nottingham Forest, calling it "a massive club with a big history" and praising manager Oliver Glasner. He said, "I spoke to the manager (Oliver Glasner) 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." He added, "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" [1, 2, 4].
Nottingham Forest’s previous club record signing was Omari Hutchinson, bought from Ipswich Town for £37.5 million last year [1, 2, 4]. Forest finished 16th in the Premier League last season and face Liverpool on August 29, 2026, where Delap could make his debut [1, 2, 3].
