The Glasner effect could transform Delap

[Getty Images] In a summer of staggering transfer fees, Liam Delap's move to Nottingham Forest stands out. An outlay of £50m for a striker who scored one league goal last season - at a £20m profit to Chelsea - has caught the eye. But Delap is only 23 years old and has scored goals in the Premier League before. The overriding positive for Forest fans digesting Delap's inflated fee - which can be partly explained by Ipswich Town reportedly receiving 20% of any profit made on their £30m sale to Chelsea last summer - is that Oliver Glasner's man-management and tactical set-up are both likely to suit the new arrival. Glasner tends to prefer playing without the ball - his Crystal Palace team averaged 46% possession last season - while the Austrian also likes to attack directly at pace, suiting Delap's natural assets. Glasner also has recent form for turning around a centre-forward's career after transforming Jean-Philippe Mateta at Selhurst Park. [BBC] Mateta improved his shot conversion rate and halved the number of minutes it took to score goals under Glasner, operating in the same type of targetman role that Delap is set to fulfil at Forest. Delap also remains a valuable commodity in the sense that he is one of only 10 English forwards aged 23 or under regularly playing in Europe's top five leagues. On Match of the Day in November 2024, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said: "I would probably go as far as to say he is the obvious long-term successor to Harry Kane. He is the best young English striker out there. "I just don't see a weakness for him. He has that lovely balance between physical and technical [ability] - and rarely do you get both. He is a super talent." Delap's international ambitions may have to wait for the time being but Glasner improved Mateta to the point of him playing for France at the 2026 World Cup. Significant interest will surround how far he can take Delap. Read the full article here