Nottingham Forest have made Liam Delap their record signing, but after a difficult season at Chelsea, can Oliver Glasner revive the striker’s career?
Nottingham Forest have made a huge statement in the transfer market by signing Liam Delap from Chelsea for a reported £45 million, with a further £5 million potentially due in add-ons.
On paper, it is a major show of faith in the 23-year-old striker. In reality, it is also a sizeable gamble for a Forest side hoping to compete higher up the Premier League table under Oliver Glasner.
The timing makes the deal even more intriguing. Forest have endured a difficult start to the season, losing their opening two matches against Leeds United, including a 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat at the City Ground.
A Big Fee For A Striker Who Struggled
The biggest question surrounding the transfer is obvious: why pay £45m for a striker who scored just one Premier League goal last season?
Delap’s 2025/26 campaign at Chelsea was underwhelming by almost every attacking measure. He scored three goals and registered four assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, with just one Premier League goal.
🚨🌳 BREAKING: Nottingham Forest reach verbal agreement to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea, here we go!
Fee around £45m as @JPercyTelegraph reported, medical booked and #NFFC ready to proceed with formal steps.
Delap said yes to Forest project after speaking to Oliver Glasner. pic.twitter.com/KImPuy63q5
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 25, 2026
His Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup numbers offered slightly more encouragement, as he scored twice and provided an assist in 11 appearances. But those figures still fall well short of what Forest would normally expect from a club-record signing.
His shooting numbers were particularly concerning. Delap managed just 36 shots throughout the campaign, with only 11 finding the target. His reported shot conversion rate of 2.78% tells its own story.
For a striker expected to lead the line, those numbers simply aren’t good enough.
Why Glasner Believes in Him?
There is, however, a reason Forest have taken the plunge.
Glasner clearly believes Delap is capable of offering something different to his attack. The England youth international possesses the physicality to play as a traditional centre-forward, hold the ball up and occupy opposing defenders. That profile could make him an attractive option for Glasner, particularly if the Austrian wants Forest to play more directly at times.
There is also the possibility that Delap’s Chelsea numbers simply don’t tell the full story.
He was not an automatic starter throughout the season and started only around 20 games. A move to Forest could give him the consistency and responsibility he needs to rediscover the form that made him such an exciting prospect at Ipswich.
Forest will be hoping the Delap who arrives at the City Ground is closer to the player who impressed at Ipswich than the one who struggled at Chelsea.
His performances during Ipswich’s promotion campaign showed why Chelsea were willing to invest heavily in him in the first place. Delap was aggressive, physical and capable of stretching defences, while his movement made him a constant threat in the final third.
The problem is that potential is no longer enough.
Chelsea made £15M profit off this 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/0gbX8FTDUb
— Midnite (@midnite) August 25, 2026
The Numbers Raise Serious Concerns
Delap’s all-round statistics provide further reason for caution.
He contested 76 aerial duels last season and won just 29, while he was successful in only 87 of 241 ground duels. Those numbers suggest that even his physical strengths did not consistently translate into dominance.
His passing was another mixed area. His completion rate fluctuated between 66.67% and 82.35%, but he attempted only 319 passes throughout the campaign.
None of this means Delap cannot succeed at Forest. Young forwards can develop rapidly, particularly when given regular football and a manager who trusts them. But it does mean Glasner has plenty of work to do.
