Delap joins Forest for £50m in bid to rebuild career
Striker Liam Delap has moved from Chelsea to Nottingham Forest in a deal worth around £50m, following a difficult spell in London.
Liam Delap, who joined Chelsea from Ipswich last summer, has now moved on to Nottingham Forest in a transfer reported to be worth around £50m.
Unfulfilled promise
Towards the end of the 2024-25 season, as Delap began attracting interest from several top-flight clubs, then-Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna expressed full confidence that the young striker could play for the biggest clubs in the world. The son of former Derby County defender Rory ultimately chose Stamford Bridge over other suitors.
Joining a crowded Chelsea squad as a still-developing talent drew some scepticism, but reuniting with then-Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca may have been a deciding factor. Maresca had overseen Manchester City's under-21 side during Delap's standout spell in the club's academy, when he scored 24 goals in 20 matches during the 2020-21 season as City won the Premier League 2 title.
A difficult spell at Chelsea
Delap's move to Chelsea did not go as hoped. It began with his decision to withdraw from last summer's Under-21 European Championship, which England went on to win, in order to be available for Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign. The former Stoke, Preston and Hull striker then managed just three goals in 47 appearances for the club. That dip in form led to Chelsea handing his number nine shirt to Joao Pedro, before his departure was finally sanctioned this summer.
Delap's time at Chelsea was also affected by three changes of manager, hamstring and shoulder injuries, and difficulty adapting to a different style of play. While Ipswich had made effective use of his pace on the counter-attack behind high defensive lines, Chelsea's approach relied more on building possession.
