Nottingham Forest's club-record signing Liam Delap has outlined the aggressive mindset he believes is key to his success, as the Reds prepare for a key home match. The 23-year-old striker, who made his debut in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Liverpool, told The Guardian "I play at my best on the edge of being horrible."
Forest head into Saturday's clash with Tottenham sitting 15th in the Premier League table with one point from their opening two games. They have scored two goals and conceded three, leaving them five points behind early leaders Manchester City. The team will be without the sidelined Nicolò Savona and Ibrahim Sangaré, according to the latest injuries report.
Liam Delap's first action in a Nottingham Forest shirt was impactful, if unorthodox. Introduced as a substitute at Anfield, his quick long throw-in created the chaos that led to Morgan Gibbs-White winning and converting a penalty, putting Forest into a second-half lead. Manager Oliver Glasner later discovered that Delap's father, former Stoke City player Rory Delap, was famously known for his long throws. The 6ft 2in forward's arrival at the City Ground this summer for £45m shattered the club's previous transfer record, a significant statement of intent from the ownership.
The move to Nottingham Forest came after a period of careful consideration for Delap. Last summer, he held Zoom calls with managers from 18 different Premier League clubs who were interested in his signature. Glasner, who joined Forest from Crystal Palace, was one of those managers and spoke with Delap about how his strengths would be utilised. "I think it shows his attitude and his character that he said: ‘Yeah, I want a team and a club that values my strengths and wants to play to my strengths,’" Glasner said. The Austrian coach wants Delap to play to his clear assets: physicality, power and finishing.
Liam Delap's path to Nottingham Forest has been varied. He spent a decade at Derby County's academy before joining Manchester City, where he made his senior debut under Pep Guardiola at 17 and spearheaded an FA Youth Cup win in 2020. Former teammates from that City youth side include Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and current Chelsea colleague James McAtee. Delap has been capped by England at every age group, playing alongside Jude Bellingham at under-16 level. After loans at Stoke, Preston and Hull, he scored 12 goals for Ipswich in the 2024-25 season before a £45m move to Chelsea, where he managed one goal in 28 appearances.
The immediate focus is a major test at the City Ground this Saturday, September 5th, against Tottenham Hotspur. Fans can view the full schedule on our fixtures page. Tottenham currently sit 20th in the table, making this an early opportunity for Forest to climb the standings. Delap, who attended his brother Finn's victory for Burton Albion in midweek, will be hoping to build on his Anfield cameo. The striker's family competitive streak is well-known, with childhood games of Monopoly or football often ending in fights and flipped tables. Forest will need that same competitive fire as they seek their first win of the campaign in front of their own supporters.
