The signing Nottingham Forest could make to instantly replace Awoniyi

Nottingham Forest have sold Elliot Anderson to Manchester City in a record-breaking deal this summer, but it’s interesting to note that Chelsea’s interest in Morgan Gibbs-White has been flat-out rebuffed.

At the start of Oliver Glasner‘s reign, Forest are determined to remain competitive. For Gibbs-White to be sold to a Premier League rival with only a few weeks of the transfer window would be akin to Forest shooting themselves in the foot.

There is a determination to return to prominence in the Premier League. But determination must be supported by proaction. That’s not to say further changes aren’t afoot, with Glasner already waving goodbye to a modern icon in Taiwo Awoniyi.

Why Taiwo Awoniyi needs replacing

Newly-promoted Coventry City are closing in on a £17m deal to sign Awoniyi from Forest. The 29-year-old joined the City Ground upon their promotion from the Championship in 2022. He has been a pillar throughout this Premier League and European journey.

However, Chris Wood and Igor Jesus were preferred at No. 9 last season, and now, Glasner appears to have the same mindset toward his attacking options, allowing the Nigerian goalscorer to pursue a fresh challenge.

This is all well and good, but Awoniyi’s physicality and experience in the final third will be missed. He will need replacing, with Lorenzo Lucca not returning after his disappointing loan spell across the second half of last term.

Easier said than done, but the Tricky Trees believe they may have the perfect new option to bolster their attacking line, though they will face stiff competition from a few Premier League rivals.

How Nottingham Forest can replace Awoniyi

Wood returned to fitness toward the end of the 2025/26 season, but he is no spring chicken, and there are is no guarantee that he will recover the clinical level that fired Nottingham Forest into the Europa League a few years ago.

With that in mind, it’s understandable that Glasner is eager to sign Liam Delap from Chelsea. According to TEAMtalk, the Reds have already been approached by intermediaries looking to drum up interest in the 23-year-old as talks are held over a potential move.

Delap has had something of a nightmarish stint at Stamford Bridge, only scoring once in the Premier League last year after completing a £30m transfer from Ipswich Town.

The powerful forward arrived in London with a weight of expectation, and he would still be expected to return to form with a club such as Forest, Glasner’s playing style tailored to his own strengths. Chelsea have priced him at £40m, and leading contenders Everton, Manchester United and Newcastle are also in the running.

Delap is at a low ebb after a poor year at Chelsea, but he excelled during a breakout Premier League campaign with Ipswich, his link-up play and strength in the box leading pundit Alan Shearer to describe him as a “nuisance to play against“.

In that, he could prove the natural successor to a frontman such as Awoniyi, whose imposing nature in attack provided Forest with such an interesting outlet. He might not have started every week, but the veteran’s presence and the impact he can make off the bench will be sorely missed.

At Chelsea, Delap has struggled to strut his stuff, but he won 4.2 duels per game in the Premier League the year before with the Tractor Boys, Scoring 12 goals and missing only ten big chances besides. He has been described as a “machine” by YouTuber The Other Side of the Coin, for his progressive dribbling, belying his stocky frame.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Glasner’s physical and aggressive playing style could indeed prove the perfect platform from which Delap could bounce back to prominence. He was regarded as one of the most exciting young English strikers out there before signing for the Blues.

Strong and willing to duel, Delap might just be the perfect Awoniyi replacement, someone who could even come to outstrip the Nigerian striker.