Chelsea have agreed a deal to bring experienced striker Danny Welbeck to Stamford Bridge from Brighton, according to reports by Fabrizio Romano.
Since BlueCo took over the club in 2023, Chelsea have largely built their squad around young talent. That trend was evident during their 6-4 preseason victory over Australian outfit Western Sydney Wanderers, where 28-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo was the oldest player in the starting lineup.
Liam Delap, at 23, was the second-oldest starter, while the rest of the XI included youngsters, with only Dario Essugo (21) and Josh Acheampong (20) older than their teenage teammates. The match also featured at least three 16-year-olds.
Although Chelsea impressed with their attacking display, the team struggled physically against the Wanderers, highlighting a lack of experience and strength.
The issue mirrors last season, when Chelsea ranked among the league’s lowest for distance covered and frequently came off second best in physical contests.
To address that, the Blues have begun adding more experienced players, having already secured 26-year-old defender Maxence Lacroix.
They have now turned their attention to the attack, where Welbeck has emerged as a surprise target. According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have reached an agreement with Brighton to sign the veteran forward.
