Young Chelsea forward joins Nottingham Forest

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September 1, 2025 17:24 GMT (UK), by Ketan Patel

Nottingham Forest have signed 19-year-old forward Donnell McNeilly from Chelsea in a free transfer deal, as the 5 foot 11 striker decides to depart the Blues in search of regular first-team football. Forest have been monitoring McNeilly for several months and will be delighted to get a deal over the line; as Chelsea needed to sell players to help balance the books after a very busy summer transfer window.

McNeilly, a London-born academy product who topped scoring charts at multiple youth levels for Chelsea and signed his first pro contract in 2022, became available after declining new terms. Reports around deadline day indicated Forest pushed to secure him and line up an immediate loan in the EFL to fast-track senior minutes.

Seen as one of the best up and coming strikers in the Blues’ youth setup, McNeilly has spent the last three years playing for the Chelsea under-21 side and had turned down a contract at Chelsea, and up and until yesterday Enzo Maresca‘s side had been hopeful the player would stay at Stamford Bridge.