£5.5m FPL Forward Liam Delap Could Be One to Watch After Nottingham Forest Move
Nottingham Forest have smashed their club transfer record to bring in Liam Delap from Chelsea for a reported £50 million — and the £5.5m-rated forward could quickly become an intriguing name for Fantasy Premier League managers.
The 23-year-old has arrived at the City Ground after a difficult spell at Stamford Bridge, but his previous Premier League form suggests there could be plenty of potential waiting to be unlocked.
The big question is simple: can Delap rediscover his best form under Oliver Glasner and turn himself into one of FPL’s best budget forward options?
Delap’s Journey to Nottingham Forest
Delap developed through the academies at Derby County and Manchester City, first making a serious impression when he exploded onto the scene with City’s Under-21 side.
During the 2020/21 campaign, he scored an outstanding 24 goals in just 20 matches, helping Manchester City’s youngsters secure the Premier League 2 title.
A series of Championship loan spells followed, with Delap spending time at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City.
His most productive loan spell came at Hull, eventually earning him a permanent £15m move from Manchester City to Ipswich Town.
Delap then showed he could handle Premier League football.
Despite Ipswich winning only four matches and eventually being relegated, the striker scored 12 Premier League goals from 32 starts, with two of those coming from penalties, while also providing two assists.
Those numbers were enough to convince Chelsea to spend £30m on him last summer.
Unfortunately for Delap, his first season at Stamford Bridge failed to go according to plan.
He struggled to establish himself as Chelsea’s first-choice striker, with fellow new signing Joao Pedro preferred as the main attacking option.
Injuries to his shoulder and hamstring, combined with managerial changes, made life even more difficult.
Delap eventually finished the campaign with just three goals in 47 appearances across all competitions, including only one Premier League goal.
But Forest will be hoping that difficult season was an exception rather than a sign of things to come.
Why There Is Plenty of Reason for FPL Managers to Be Interested
There are several reasons why Delap could become an interesting budget option.
At Ipswich, then-manager Kieran McKenna gave the striker the freedom to use his greatest strengths — pace, physicality and direct running.
Delap was particularly dangerous when carrying the ball forward.
In the 2024/25 Premier League season, his 26 ball carries ending in a shot were the most recorded by any Premier League striker.
That part of his game became far less effective at Chelsea.
In 2025/26, Delap managed only six shot-ending carries, although his reduced playing time must also be taken into consideration.
The tactical environment may have played a major role.
Ipswich frequently played on the counter-attack and averaged just 40.3% possession, the lowest figure in the Premier League that season.
That could be important because Oliver Glasner’s teams have also tended to operate without dominating possession.
Crystal Palace, under Glasner last season, averaged just 45.9% possession, while Forest have similarly ranked among the lower-possession teams over recent campaigns.
That style could suit Delap far more than Chelsea’s controlled approach.
There is also another intriguing connection.
Forest and Glasner were reportedly interested in Delap before Chelsea eventually signed him last summer.
After finally getting their man for a club-record fee, Forest are likely to give him every opportunity to justify that investment.
James McAtee Could Be a Major Factor
Another storyline FPL managers should keep an eye on is Delap’s reunion with James McAtee.
The pair were teammates during their Manchester City academy days and are now together again at Nottingham Forest.
McAtee has already started Forest’s opening two Gameweeks in central midfield following an impressive pre-season.
More importantly, he has provided 10 assists for Delap during their careers, more than any other teammate.
If their previous understanding translates onto the Premier League stage, that could become a very interesting combination for FPL managers.
Who Could Lose Out at Forest?
The biggest concern surrounding Delap isn’t necessarily his ability.
It’s playing time.
Forest currently have four forwards competing for minutes, and with the club no longer involved in European football and already eliminated from the Carabao Cup, there aren’t as many competitions available to rotate the squad.
That could make the battle for the starting striker role particularly important.
Arnaud Kalimuendo
At the moment, Arnaud Kalimuendo appears to be the most vulnerable when it comes to the central striker position.
He could still leave the club, but even if he remains at Forest, his ability to operate as a wide No. 10 could give Glasner another way of using him.
That flexibility could help his chances of remaining involved, but it may not necessarily be enough to keep him ahead of Delap as the main centre-forward.
Chris Wood
Then there is veteran striker Chris Wood.
The 34-year-old enjoyed a spectacular 20-goal Premier League campaign previously, but an injury-hit season limited him to just 11 league starts last term.
Wood led the line in the midweek cup defeat to Leeds after coming off the bench in Gameweek 1.
However, he wasn’t even introduced during Gameweek 2.
That raises an interesting possibility: could Glasner gradually move Wood into more of an impact-substitute role rather than relying on him as a regular starter?
If that happens, Delap’s route into the starting XI becomes much clearer.
Igor Jesus
Igor Jesus is another player worth monitoring.
The Brazilian was Forest’s most regular centre-forward last season and brings plenty of energy and defensive work to the position.
However, he doesn’t quite possess the profile of a traditional lone striker.
Delap, by contrast, has the physical presence, pace and goal-scoring pedigree that could make him a more natural long-term replacement for Wood.
That could ultimately work in the new signing’s favour.
Delap’s Fitness Is Still a Concern
There is, however, one immediate obstacle.
Delap may not be ready to start regularly just yet.
He made his Forest debut on Saturday and immediately made an impact, with a quickly taken throw-in eventually helping Forest win a penalty.
But Glasner’s post-match comments suggested the striker still needs time to reach full match fitness.
The Forest boss admitted that Delap was already breathing heavily after only a few actions.
That means FPL managers may need to be patient.
Rather than immediately throwing Delap into their starting XI, it could be wiser to watch his minutes over the next few matches.
If he begins collecting 60-90 minutes consistently, his £5.5m price tag suddenly becomes much more attractive.
The Penalty Situation Is a Blow
One factor that could limit Delap’s FPL upside is penalties.
Forest won a spot-kick at Anfield on Saturday, and Delap was on the pitch when it happened.
However, he wasn’t the player who stepped up.
Instead, Morgan Gibbs-White took the penalty.
That could be a significant detail for FPL managers because penalties can turn an affordable striker into a genuine points threat.
Delap’s appeal would certainly be stronger if he had penalty duties.
For now, though, there appears to be no clear indication that those responsibilities belong to him.
Discipline Could Also Hurt His FPL Appeal
There is another potential problem: yellow cards.
Delap’s aggressive style is one of his biggest strengths, but it can also get him into trouble.
During his Premier League season with Ipswich, he committed 72 fouls, the second-highest total among all players.
He was also joint-top for bookings after collecting 12 yellow cards.
For a striker competing for FPL points, frequent suspensions and lost minutes are obviously not ideal.
His physical approach is part of what makes him effective, so the challenge for Glasner will be finding the right balance between aggression and discipline.
Is Liam Delap Actually an FPL Option?
There is certainly a case to be made for Delap.
At just £5.5m, a forward capable of regularly starting Premier League matches immediately deserves attention.
The biggest attraction is his previous record at Ipswich.
Scoring 10 non-penalty Premier League goals for a struggling side is no small achievement.
If Forest provide him with regular starts and Glasner can recreate the counter-attacking environment in which Delap thrived, he could become an excellent third-forward option.
There are several forwards available around the same £5.5m price point, including Taiwo Awoniyi, Thierno Barry, Emersonn and Oli McBurnie.
However, many of those options come with their own concerns, particularly regarding team strength and relegation battles.
That potentially gives Delap an advantage.
Verdict: Watch Him, But Don’t Rush
For now, Delap is one to watch rather than an immediate FPL transfer target.
His £5.5m price is extremely appealing, and his Ipswich numbers prove that he can score Premier League goals when given the right role.
But there are still too many unanswered questions.
Will he become a guaranteed starter?
How will Glasner divide minutes between Delap, Wood and Igor Jesus?
Can Delap regain his confidence after a frustrating season at Chelsea?
And, perhaps most importantly, can he get fully match-fit quickly enough to establish himself?
Until those questions are answered, FPL managers should probably resist the temptation to jump on him immediately.
But if Delap starts getting regular starts and his minutes become reliable, his £5.5m price could suddenly look like one of the biggest bargains in the forward position.
For now, keep him on the watchlist.
The potential is clearly there — and Forest may have just given Liam Delap the perfect opportunity to prove Chelsea wrong.