Chelsea explore surprise moves for Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson

Veteran Brentford midfielder has a year left on contract

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleChelsea are understood to be in talks over a move to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton. The 35-year-old is a surprise candidate to bolster Xabi Alonso’s forward line after scoring 13 goals in 37 Premier League matches last season.

The former Liverpool captain made 34 appearances for Brentford last season and was a member of England’s World Cup squad. He broke his arm when he fell over advertising hoardings celebrating their win over Mexico.

Should a deal be reached it would increase the likelihood of departures from Stamford Bridge, with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson. Delap is considered second-choice striker behind João Pedro, who impressed in his debut Chelsea campaign with 15 league goals, while Jackson spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich and has attracted interest from Aston Villa.

Delap had been expected to be given a second year to prove himself after an unsuccessful debut campaign following his £30m move from Ipswich a year ago, though this latest development would seem to cast doubt on his future.

Interest in Welbeck and Henderson reflects a revised Chelsea transfer policy as the club seek to recruit more established players under Alonso.

Welbeck, who scored twice when Brighton won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last season, signed a 12-month deal in March which runs until the end of the 2026-27 season. If the move happens, Welbeck would join a long line of players and staff to make the switch from Brighton to Chelsea in recent years, including the goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, midfielder Moises Caicedo and striker João Pedro.