Nottingham Forest's £50 million move for Liam Delap highlights a Premier League transfer market that has lost control, according to an ESPN analysis. The club's slow start to the season, with two draws and a loss, has been punctuated by contentious officiating decisions in matches against Tottenham and Liverpool.
Forest currently sit 16th in the Premier League with two points from three games, scoring just twice.
Liam Delap joined Nottingham Forest from Chelsea for a reported £50 million this summer. This deal occurred during a window where Premier League clubs collectively spent over £3.4 billion, smashing the previous record. Delap's transfer is cited as an example of the market's inflation, especially for players with Premier League experience.
A former Premier League sporting director told reporters that a premium exists for players proven in the English top flight. "The majority of Premier League clubs also want Premier League-proven players, which adds a premium," the source said. Delap, who scored three goals in 49 appearances for Chelsea, made his first Forest start in the recent goalless draw with Tottenham.
Nottingham Forest were held to a 0-0 draw by Tottenham at the City Ground, a result covered by the Daily Mail Sport. The hosts thought they had won the game when Neco Williams bundled the ball over the line in the second half, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for a handball by the defender. The decision incensed the home crowd.
Forest created the better chances in the first half, with Murillo, Jair Cunha and Delap all firing efforts over the bar. Goalkeeper Mats Sels launched a long ball for Delap to contest early on, setting a direct tone. The point leaves Forest seven points behind league leaders Manchester City, a gap detailed in the current standings.
The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has ruled that Nottingham Forest should not have been awarded a penalty in their 2-2 draw at Liverpool. The panel voted 3-2 that referee Sam Barrott was wrong to point to the spot after Alisson challenged Neco Williams in the 68th minute. Morgan Gibbs-White converted the spot-kick to put Forest 2-1 up.
However, the panel unanimously supported the VAR's decision not to intervene, stating it was not a clear and obvious error. "The contact from Alisson was inevitable as a consequence of his momentum in attempting to save the ball," the KMI Panel said. Forest have conceded three goals this season, a defensive record you can examine on our stats page.
The team must now prepare for their next league match against 19th-placed Fulham at the City Ground.
