Stunned: Chelsea has already approached two surprising players as they prepare to reinforce Xabi Alonso's squad for the new season.
On 28 July 2026 GMT+7, BBC Sport reported that Chelsea has made a surprising move in this summer's transfer market by negotiating to sign veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson from Brentford and experienced striker Danny Welbeck from Brighton, both Premier League clubs.
Jordan Henderson, 36, has one year remaining on his Brentford contract, but the club is willing to let him leave on a free transfer. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Danny Welbeck is interested in joining Chelsea, and the Blues believe they can reach an agreement.
Chelsea, under new manager Xabi Alonso, seeks experienced players, acknowledging that signing younger players requires adjustments, as club owner Behdad Eghbali stated in April.
Danny Welbeck performed impressively last season, scoring 13 league goals in 37 appearances for Brighton, bringing his total to 51 goals in 201 matches since joining from Watford in 2020.
However, Welbeck recently extended his contract by 12 months in March, meaning his current deal runs through the end of the 2026-27 season.
Bringing in Welbeck could affect the situation of several Chelsea forwards—Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Marc Guehi, and Emmanuel Emegha—who hope to get more playing time under Xabi Alonso next season.
Jordan Henderson made 34 appearances in all competitions last season for Brentford after transferring from Ajax.
Previously, Xabi Alonso had aimed to sign Granit Xhaka, a former Bayer Leverkusen player, but Sunderland rejected the offer, leading Chelsea to shift their focus to Jordan Henderson.
Chelsea has already completed deals for three new players: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Marco Palestra (Atalanta), and Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace).
