Danny Welbeck is on the verge of becoming a Chelsea player after being given permission to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge, as new manager Xabi Alonso moves to inject experience into the Premier League's youngest squad.
The 35-year-old striker, who scored a career-high 13 league goals for Brighton last season, is expected to sign a two-year contract and link up with his new teammates in Hong Kong for pre-season next week. His arrival is part of a broader recruitment drive that has also seen Chelsea open talks with Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, who could arrive on a free transfer after the Bees agreed to let him leave with a year remaining on his contract.
“Danny Welbeck close to joining Chelsea as new manager Xabi Alonso's experience drive includes talks for Jordan Henderson.”
The shift in strategy follows an admission by co-owner Behdad Eghbali that the club's model of signing young players needed a "tweak" after a disappointing campaign that saw them finish 10th and win nothing. Chelsea's squad has been the youngest in the Premier League for the past two seasons, a factor blamed for their inconsistency. Alonso, who won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, is now prioritising proven performers.
Welbeck, formerly of Manchester United and Arsenal, has scored 90 goals in 400 top-flight appearances and is Brighton's leading Premier League scorer. He signed a contract extension in March that runs until 2027, but the lure of Stamford Bridge proved strong. His move would leave Chelsea with six senior strikers on their books, including Joao Pedro, who is regarded as the first-choice option, and Dutch striker Emmanuel Emegha, who recently joined from sister club Strasbourg. Others such as Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu could be sold or loaned out. Guiu is valued at about £25m, while Delap – signed for £30m from Ipswich last year – is increasingly expected to depart.
Chelsea have already spent big this summer, signing Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a club-record £117m, full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, and are closing on a £52m deal for Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix. Their attempts to reunite Alonso with Granit Xhaka failed after Sunderland refused to sell the 33-year-old midfielder.
Henderson, who made 34 appearances for Brentford last season after joining from Ajax, made one substitute appearance for England at the World Cup before breaking his arm celebrating a win over Mexico. His experience would complement the youthful core Chelsea are trying to build around. With no European football this season, the question remains whether the blend of old and new can deliver the climb back towards the top four that Alonso has been tasked with orchestrating.