Chelsea have opened talks to sign Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, a surprise move that signals a dramatic shift in the club’s transfer strategy under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The 35-year-old, who scored a career-high 13 Premier League goals last season, is keen on moving to Stamford Bridge and there is optimism from Chelsea’s side that a deal can be concluded, sources say. Brighton are understood to be willing to let Welbeck leave for the right price, with his contract running until the end of the 2026-27 season after he signed a 12-month extension in March.
“Chelsea open talks to sign Brighton's Danny Welbeck, signaling a shift in transfer strategy under Xabi Alonso.”
The pursuit of Welbeck follows owner Behdad Eghbali’s admission in April that the club’s model of signing young players needed a “tweak”. Alonso has already added 23-year-old Morgan Rogers for a club-record £117m, but the move for Welbeck – with more than 400 Premier League appearances for Manchester United, Arsenal and Brighton – marks the clearest departure yet from that policy.
Welbeck’s arrival would heap pressure on Chelsea’s current forwards. Liam Delap, who cost £30m from Ipswich a year ago, was expected to be given a second chance but is now increasingly expected to depart. Nicolas Jackson, back from a loan at Bayern Munich, is open to leaving amid interest from Aston Villa. Joao Pedro, who impressed with 15 league goals last season, is regarded as the club’s first-choice striker.
“It’s speculation and there’s always that link for me because I’ve been at the club,” Welbeck told The Times last year when asked about a potential return to Manchester United, where Erik ten Hag had pushed to re-sign him in 2024 only to be blocked by the club. United legend Gary Neville later said Welbeck “should never have been let go” from Old Trafford.
Welbeck scored twice when Brighton beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last season. If the move goes through, he would reunite with Pedro and join a growing list of players to swap Brighton for Chelsea, including goalkeeper Robert Sánchez and midfielder Moises Caicedo.
With no European football this season, Chelsea’s attacking options are already abundant – and Welbeck’s arrival could trigger a clear-out. Alonso must now decide how to balance experience with the young talent already in his squad.