Leeds ‘ join Nottingham Forest and Everton in Liam Delap transfer race following brutal Chelsea shirt snub’

THREE Premier League sides are reportedly set to battle it out for £30m Chelsea outcast Liam Delap. The 23-year-old struggled with the step up after joining from Ipswich and managed just three goals following his arrival before the Club World Cup. Liam Delap is currently training away from Xabi Alonso’s main core squad Credit: Getty But this season he has been stripped of the No9 shirt pushing him even closer to the exit door. And according to talkSPORT, Leeds are keen to snap him up, with Nottingham Forest and Everton sniffing around. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Dream Team is back, free, and there’s £100,000 up for grabs! Incredibly, despite his dismal debut season, Chelsea still want to make a profit, valuing Delap at £40m. Delap is in a a group of 12 Chelsea players who are training away from Xabi Alonso‘s main squad, Nicholas Jackson another out-of-favour striker. His three goals from 47 games across all competitions for Chelsea left a disappointing feeling following the season, made worse by the club’s general struggles under Enzo Maresca and then Liam Rosenior. Team-mate Joao Pedro, another player signed in time for their winning campaign at last summer’s Club World Cup, fared far better as Chelsea‘s main source of goals. The Brazilian scored 23 goals in 53 games in all comps following his move from Brighton worth up to £60m. Pedro, 24, has therefore been rewarded for his strong season by being handed the No9 shirt for the Stamford Bridge outfit, with his former No20 not being handed out to another player yet. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Meanwhile, with Delap being booted off the number, club chiefs have handed him the No12 shirt worn by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen last season. Chelsea have spent nearly £350m and now attention is turning to who they can ship out. Morgan Rogers was snapped up from Aston Villa for £117.5m, with Maxence Lacroix costing around £52m from Crystal Palace. Since signing in 2025, Delap is another player to be hit by the, ‘Chelsea number 9 curse.’ Comment now