Nottingham Forest have entered the race for Chelsea striker Liam Delap, adding another potential destination for the 23-year-old as his Stamford Bridge future becomes increasingly uncertain.
Delap is expected to be allowed to leave Chelsea following a difficult first season in west London, when injuries and inconsistent form limited his impact.
Crucially, the England Under-21 international would prefer to remain in the Premier League, potentially giving Forest an advantage over Italian side Como.
Forest’s need for another forward has also increased after Taiwo Awoniyi completed a £9 million move to Coventry City.
Nottingham Forest have joined the Delap race
According to talkSPORT, Nottingham Forest have joined Everton and Newcastle United in showing interest in Delap.
Chelsea are now prepared to sell the striker for around £40 million, just one year after paying Ipswich Town £30m for him.
Delap scored only twice during his debut Chelsea campaign and has slipped further down the attacking hierarchy following Danny Welbeck’s arrival.
Como are also exploring a move, but Delap’s preference is understood to be staying in England.
Chelsea’s latest valuation represents an interesting development. Sky Sports previously reported that the Blues valued Delap at around £50m, suggesting their demands may have softened as the transfer deadline approaches.
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Forest could be the right club for Chelsea attacker
Forest may actually be one of the most sensible destinations available to Delap.
His move to Chelsea came after an impressive 12-goal Premier League season with Ipswich, but another year competing for occasional minutes at Stamford Bridge could stall his development.
At Forest, he would have a clearer opportunity to play regularly and rebuild the reputation that convinced Chelsea to spend £30m on him in the first place.
The £40m fee remains significant, particularly…
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