Nottingham Forest Eye Liam Delap Loan from Chelsea

Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal for Liam Delap, pushing hard to land the young striker before the window shuts, according to the Daily Mail.

Forest are working on an initial loan with an option to buy next summer, a structure that would let Oliver Glasner test Delap in the Premier League before committing fully. The urgency is clear. Glasner’s side slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Leeds United at the weekend, a tight game that underlined exactly what Forest are missing: a ruthless edge in the box.

Delap stuck in reverse at Chelsea

For Delap, the interest comes as his Chelsea career stalls badly.

He arrived from Ipswich Town with real momentum after an impressive spell at Portman Road, but the jump to Stamford Bridge has bitten hard. Expectations soared, performances didn’t. One league goal in his debut season tells its own story.

The warning signs have grown louder. Delap played no part in Chelsea’s recent Premier League win over Fulham, a glaring omission that underlined his slide down the hierarchy. Inside the club, there is now a clear openness to offers. Chelsea are ready to move him on if the right proposal lands.

The shift became even more obvious when Joao Pedro took the No.9 shirt ahead of the new campaign. Symbolic, but brutal. Pedro, rewarded for a superb first season, steps into the role of leading striker. Delap, dropped back to No.12, slips further from the spotlight.

With Nicolas Jackson and summer signing Marc Guiu also ahead of him, the route to regular minutes under Alonso looks almost completely blocked for the former Manchester City academy product.

Forest lead chase, but rivals circle

Forest may be at the front of the queue, but they are not alone.

Several Premier League clubs have tracked Delap across the summer. Ipswich Town, where he rebuilt his reputation, have explored bringing him back. Everton are watching closely as well, ready to move if the market breaks their way.

The Toffees are thought to be considering a loan of their own if permanent bids from elsewhere don’t firm up. For now, Forest have the momentum, but the situation remains open.

Glasner’s rebuild gathers pace

Delap is just one piece in a wider reset at the City Ground.

Forest have already spent heavily, landing defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP in a £36m deal. They have also dipped smartly into the free agent pool, adding midfielder Xaver Schlager and goalkeeper Steve Benda to strengthen the spine of the squad.

Those moves have been underpinned by the huge £116m sale of Elliot Anderson to Manchester City, a blockbuster outgoing that has given Forest room to manoeuvre. Delap fits the profile of the next phase: young, Premier League-ready, and with upside if Glasner can unlock him.

Forest’s recruitment drive doesn’t stop there. They are also keeping a close eye on Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy. Again, Everton are hovering, creating a familiar duel in the market. The pattern is clear: Glasner wants players who either know this league or have the potential to adapt to it fast.

Chelsea clear the decks

Despite having five years left on his contract, Delap has been placed firmly in the “available” bracket as Chelsea trim a bloated squad under Alonso.

The overhaul at Stamford Bridge has been sweeping. Squad numbers have been shuffled, established names have been nudged towards the exit, and the club is attempting to sharpen the core around Alonso’s tactical demands. Delap has become one of the casualties of that process.

He is not in a rush to leave England, though. Delap is understood to prefer staying in the Premier League and is prepared to wait for the right domestic move rather than jump at the first offer abroad. Italian side Como, led by Cesc Fabregas, showed interest earlier in the window and explored taking him to Serie A, but his focus remains on proving himself on English soil.

Now the question is simple: does Forest become the stage where a stalled talent finally catches fire, or will another Premier League rival steal in before the deadline and change the script again?