Nottingham Forest in talks for Liam Delap as transfer activity continues

Nottingham Forest are in advanced talks with Chelsea over a deal for Liam Delap. Oliver Glasner wants two more signings before the transfer window closes a week on Tuesday.

Delap, who was on Forest’s radar when the striker opted to join Chelsea from Ipswich, is out of favour at Stamford Bridge and has been training away from Xabi Alonso’s first team. The 23-year-old was left out of Chelsea’s squad for their game at Fulham on Monday.

Glasner, who has implemented a three-man defence at Forest, is also keen to strengthen at wing-back. “The club is working very hard to get these deals done,” the Austrian head coach said. “I’m very confident that we will get in two more high-quality players.”

Forest have signed Ousmane Diomande, Xaver Schlager and Steven Benda this summer, paying a fee only for the former. Diomande joined in a £34m deal from Sporting. Forest host Leeds in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday, a rematch of their Premier League defeat last Saturday. Morgan Gibbs-White will miss the game because of a knee problem but Forest hope he will available for the trip to Liverpool on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa are ramping up their interest in the Club Brugge defender Joel Ordóñez. Villa want the Ecuador centre-back, a longstanding target who impressed against them in the Champions League, to replace Ezri Konsa. Villa had a bid for Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis rejected.

Coventry City are working on a deal to make the Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock their ninth summer signing. The 33-year-old, who joined from Barnsley in 2019, made just four top-flight appearances last season. Sunderland have signed the midfielder Jules Ahoka from Royal Antwerp for a reported £8m.