Chelsea explore surprise move to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton

Chelsea are understood to be in talks over a move to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton.

Welbeck is a surprise candidate to bolster Xabi Alonso’s forward line after scoring 13 goals in 37 Premier League match last season, and there is optimism at Stamford Bridge that a deal can be concluded with Brighton understood to be willing to allow the 35-year-old striker, who has a year remaining on his contract, to leave for the right price.

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 marks another significant step in a revised Chelsea transfer policy as the club seek to recruit more established players under Alonso. With more than 400 Premier League appearances Welbeck, the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker, would mark the clearest departure yet from the strategy of seeking young, inexperienced players with potential.

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 goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, midfielder Moises Caicedo and striker João Pedro.