Chelsea transfer news: Brighton striker Danny Welbeck set for medical
Chelsea We are finalizing a move for Brighton Striker Danny Welbeck after being allowed to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge.
Welbeck, 35, is set to link up with his new club in Hong Kong for pre-season next week as he prepares to sign a two-year contract.
The move is part of new manager Xabi Alonso’s recruitment drive to add experience to Chelsea’s squad, which has been the youngest team in the Premier League for the past two seasons.
Their focus on youth is seen as a factor in their inability to consistently challenge for major honours.
Towards the end of last season’s disappointing campaign, after they finished 10th and won nothing, Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali said there needed to be a “fine-tuning” in their recruitment model.
Chelsea have since made an offer to reunite Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, 34, with Alonso and they won the Bundesliga title together at Bayer Leverkusen in 2024.
They also signed a six-year contract with 26-year-old defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, an official announcement is awaited. Negotiations are continuing to sign Brentford’s 36-year-old midfielder Jordan Henderson.
Morgan Rogers, who signed for a club record £117million from Aston Villa earlier this month, is also relatively experienced, despite having just turned 24.
The club also added 21-year-old full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta.
Welbeck, formerly of Manchester United and Arsenal, has scored 90 goals in 400 top-flight appearances and is the Premier League’s leading goalscorer at Brighton, which he joined on a free transfer from Watford in 2021.
His arrival will leave Chelsea with six senior strikers trying to build around Joao Pedro and Welbeck, while the others could be loaned or sold.
Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu are among those who could leave on a permanent deal or on loan.
The Blues also signed Dutch striker Emmanuel Emegha from sister club Strasbourg this summer and he could remain in the squad.
