Chelsea set to sign Brighton's Danny Welbeck on 2-year deal
What's the story
Chelsea are closing in on a deal for Brighton striker Danny Welbeck. The 35-year-old has been given the green light to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge. If all goes as planned, he will join his new teammates in Hong Kong next week for pre-season training and sign a two-year contract with the club. The move is part of manager Xabi Alonso's strategy to add experience to Chelsea's squad, which has been the youngest in Premier League over the last two seasons.
Player profile
A look at Welbeck's Premier League career
Welbeck, a former Manchester United and Arsenal player, has scored 90 goals and made 32 assists in 400 Premier League appearances.
He is Brighton's leading Premier League scorer after joining on a free transfer from Watford in 2021.
The veteran striker featured in all but one of Brighton's Premier League matches last season, scoring an impressive 13 goals and making an assist.
His experience and performance make him an ideal fit for Chelsea's squad-building efforts under Alonso.
Chelsea
Chelsea's transfers this summer
Chelsea have already roped in Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m.
Geovany Quenda joined from Sporting for £43.5m with Marco Palestra coming to London from Atalanta for a £43m deal.
As per Sky Sports News, Chelsea also signed Denner from Corinthians for £8.7m and Dastan Satpaev from Kairat Almaty, in a £2.1m deal.
Emmanuel Emegha joined the Blues from Strasbourg in an undisclosed fee.
Chelsea have also signed 26-year-old centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.
Squad dynamics
What Welbeck's arrival means for Chelsea
Welbeck's arrival would give Chelsea several first-team strikers, as they look to build around Joao Pedro and Welbeck.
Others like Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, and Marc Guiu could leave on loan or a permanent deal, as per reports.
Despite his age, Welbeck's ability to hold the ball up and bring teammates into play makes him an asset for any team.
His presence behind the scenes can also drive standards and help younger players learn from him.