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Delap to Forest
Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal worth £50m to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea, with the transfer set to include £45m plus £5m in add-ons and a club-record payment for the 23-year-old.
“Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal worth £50m to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea”
The Guardian says Forest’s move follows Chelsea opening talks over selling Nicolas Jackson to Aston Villa, with Jackson valued at £65m and earmarked as a potential replacement for Ollie Watkins, expected to join the Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Chelsea are focused on outgoings before the transfer window shuts next Tuesday, and the same report says Jackson was on loan at Bayern Munich last season and Chelsea are not willing to agree to another loan.
The Guardian also links the Delap deal to a wider reshaping under Xabi Alonso, noting that João Pedro and Danny Welbeck have been his main strikers this season while other frontmen seek opportunities elsewhere.
Radio Royal frames the parallel thread as transfer rumours, saying Manchester City are poised to make a late move for Enzo Fernandez and that the club is expected to go back in for the Chelsea midfielder.
Chelsea clear-out
Chelsea’s Delap exit is described as part of a broader summer clear-out, with Goal saying Forest have reached a full agreement to sign Delap from Chelsea in a package worth up to £50m and that the negotiations concluded swiftly after he was left out of the matchday squad for the 3-2 victory against Fulham on Monday.
Goal adds that Delap arrived at Stamford Bridge from Ipswich Town for £30m last summer and managed just one Premier League goal during his 28 appearances for the club, while recurring injuries disrupted his momentum.
The Guardian reports that Chelsea are also hoping to sell Jackson permanently rather than on loan, and it says Villa are likely to press for a favourable payment schedule to ensure they can afford a permanent deal.
In a separate framing, Heavy says Chelsea agreed to the equivalent of a $61 million deal with Nottingham Forest for Delap and quotes John Percy on X: "Fee will be club record of circa £45m and medical expected in the next 24 hours."
Heavy also places a deadline pressure on Chelsea’s window activity, stating Chelsea has until Tuesday, September 1, to make additional transfer moves.
Deadline pressure
The New York Times says the summer transfer window 2026 closes on September 1 and lists a live stream of updates including "Nottingham Forest agree Delap fee" and "Newcastle agree Nico deal," as clubs push into the final stretch.
“Summer transfer window 2026 — Latest The start of the domestic season has not stopped clubs being active in the summer transfer window, which closes on September 1.”
The Guardian ties the Delap and Jackson business to a specific timing point, saying Chelsea are focused on outgoings before the transfer window shuts next Tuesday and that Jackson is valued at £65m with Villa aiming to replace Ollie Watkins.
London Evening Standard adds a financial detail to the Delap move, saying Ipswich agreed a 20 per cent sell-on clause on any profit Chelsea made by selling Delap, which it says will net the Tractor Boys around £3m.
The New York Times also reports that Brighton completed the signing of Jaouen Hadjam from Swiss side Young Boys for €12m, and it notes the Premier League statement that the deal was "subject to the completion of the necessary regulatory processes."
Radio Royal keeps the focus on late-market movement, saying Enzo Fernandez is moving closer to a move to Manchester City and that Manchester City are expected to go back in for the Chelsea midfielder.