Nottingham Forest in Talks with Chelsea for Liam Delap Loan

Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal for Liam Delap as Oliver Glasner pushes hard for more punch in the final third before the window shuts, according to the Daily Mail.

Forest’s proposal on the table is a loan with an option to buy next summer, a structure that would limit risk but give them first refusal if Delap finally explodes in the Premier League. Glasner’s urgency is easy to trace: a tight 1-0 defeat to Leeds United at the weekend laid bare Forest’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.

They created, but didn’t kill. The message from the dugout is clear – that has to change.

Delap stuck in reverse at Chelsea

For Delap, Forest’s interest arrives at a crossroads moment in his Chelsea career. He came in from Ipswich Town with momentum and a growing reputation after his time at Portman Road, but the step up to Stamford Bridge has bitten back.

The goals never really followed. Just one league strike in his debut season, and with it, the patience around him has thinned.

His omission from Chelsea’s recent Premier League win over Fulham felt like more than simple rotation. It looked like a line in the sand. Inside the club, the hierarchy are now open to offers for the 21-year-old, signalling that his path under the current regime has all but closed.

That point was underlined in the smallest of details: the shirt on his back.

No.9 gone, pecking order clear

Joao Pedro’s promotion to the No.9 shirt before the new campaign was a symbolic blow for Delap. The England youth international lost the number and dropped to No.12, a clear reflection of where he now sits in Alonso’s thinking.

Pedro’s rise rewarded a superb debut season. Delap’s demotion told its own story.

Nicolas Jackson remains a central figure in attack, while summer signing Marc Guiu has also slotted in ahead of Delap. For a former Manchester City academy forward who left in search of minutes, the route to regular football in West London has rarely looked so blocked.

Forest lead queue – but not alone

Forest sense an opportunity. They are at the front of the queue, but they are far from alone.

Several Premier League clubs have tracked Delap over the summer. Ipswich, where he previously impressed, have looked at bringing him back. Everton are hovering too, prepared to explore a loan if permanent offers stall elsewhere.

So Forest have competition, and they know it. But they also have a project they can sell.

A squad reshaped at the City Ground

The chase for Delap is part of a broader rebuild under Glasner at the City Ground. Forest have already moved decisively in this window.

Ousmane Diomande has arrived from Sporting CP in a £36m deal to reinforce the back line. On top of that, Xaver Schlager and Steve Benda have come in as free agents, adding depth in midfield and in goal without heavy fees.

Those moves have been made possible by one giant outgoing: Elliot Anderson’s £116m transfer to Manchester City. That sale has armed Forest with the financial muscle to go after targets like Delap while still balancing the books.

And they are not stopping at centre-forward.

Murphy also on the radar

Forest are also keeping a close eye on Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy. As with Delap, Everton are again in the mix, setting up a familiar tug-of-war.

The profile is consistent. Forest want players with Premier League experience or clear upside who can slot straight into Glasner’s system and deliver immediately. Delap, despite his struggles at Chelsea, still fits that bracket: young, physically ready, and with a point to prove.

Chelsea ready to trim, Delap wants to stay in England

Chelsea, for their part, are ready to streamline. Delap has five years left on his contract, but he is one of several forwards the club are prepared to move on as Alonso continues to strip back a bloated squad.

Squad numbers have been shuffled, big names are on the market, and the message is ruthless: produce, or make way.

Delap is not rushing into anything. He is understood to be willing to wait for the right domestic move, prioritising a stay in the Premier League over a switch abroad. Italian side Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, previously showed interest in taking him to Serie A, but England remains his preferred stage.

Now the question is simple: will Forest turn interest into action quickly enough, or will one of their Premier League rivals steal in and hand Delap the platform he is so desperate to find?