Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck has been given permission to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge for a move to Chelsea FC, according to reports. The 35-year-old is set to sign a two-year contract and will join Chelsea's pre-season preparations in Hong Kong next week.
The move is part of manager Xabi Alonso's plan to add experience to Chelsea's squad. Chelsea had the youngest squad in the Premier League for the past two seasons and finished 10th last season, winning no trophies. Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali said the recruitment model needed a "tweak."
Welbeck has scored in 400 top-flight appearances.
Welbeck previously played for Manchester United and Arsenal, and has also featured for Preston, Sunderland, Watford, and Brighton. He earned 42 caps and scored 16 goals for England between 2011 and 2018. Welbeck is Brighton's all-time leading Premier League scorer.
The arrival of Welbeck would give Chelsea six senior strikers on their books. Chelsea are also reportedly interested in reuniting midfielder Granit Xhaka (34) with Xabi Alonso, and have signed 26-year-old centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace on a six-year contract, pending official announcement. In addition, Chelsea are in talks to sign Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36.
Earlier this month, Chelsea signed 24-year-old Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a club record £117 million, and also brought in 21-year-old full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta. Additionally, Dutch striker Emmanuel Emegha joined from sister club Strasbourg this summer.
With Xabi Alonso's arrival, Chelsea's transfer policy has shifted. Xabi Alonso reportedly wants more experienced players to bring stability, after the club's focus on youth was seen as a factor in their inability to challenge consistently for major honours. Chelsea plan to build around Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck, while Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, and Marc Guiu could leave on loan or permanent deals.
Welbeck joined Brighton from Watford on a free transfer, though reports differ on whether that was in 2020 or 2021.