Nottingham Forest are working on a deal to sign Chelsea striker Liam Delap.

The 23-year-old has been made available for sale by Chelsea for £50m and is training separately from the first-team squad.

It remains unclear whether the talks are over a permanent transfer or a loan move, but the two clubs are known to have a positive working relationship.

Delap was left out of Chelsea’s squad for Monday’s Premier League match against Fulham and lost the number nine shirt to fellow forward Joao Pedro last week.

His potential departure comes just over 12 months after moving to Stamford Bridge for £30m from Ipswich Town, but he ended the season with just one league goal after shoulder and hamstring injuries.

Forest have signed defender Ousmane Diomande from Sporting for £34m, alongside free agents, midfielder Xaver Schlager and keeper Steve Benda, so far this summer.

However, they have sold England midfielder Elliot Anderson to Manchester City for a club-record £116m and striker Taiwo Awoniyi to Coventry City for £9m.

Delap’s arrival would provide competition for Chris Wood and Igor Jesus at the City Ground.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are looking to sanction a number of sales and loan departures before the transfer deadline on 1 September, and currently have 39 senior players on their books.