According to recent reports, Chelsea are plotting a surprising move for 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck and 36-year-old midfielder Jordan Henderson this summer. Based on club policy since BlueCo took charge, the Blues have overwhelmingly prioritized young talent, making these veteran targets an unexpected departure from the norm.
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Subscribe Sekarang →Co-owner Behdad Eghbali previously hinted at a tactical pivot during April's World Congress of Sport, admitting that the project required more ready-made leadership. Eghbali stated, "We do have a core of good players, global players... The view is now that we're here with a great core base, to add some of that experience, to take the team to the next level and have consistency."
Last season, Chelsea suffered from having the youngest average starting lineup in the Premier League at just 24 years and 194 days old. That youthful immaturity manifested in a tenth-place finish, disciplinary struggles including eight red cards, and a heavy 8-2 aggregate defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Manager Xabi Alonso values dressing-room leadership deeply, having famously integrated experienced campaigners during his title-winning stint at Bayer Leverkusen. Welbeck would offer reliable goalscoring depth behind Joao Pedro, while Henderson's immense pedigree as a trophy-winning captain is expected to stabilize an otherwise volatile squad.
Jude Bellingham previously praised Henderson's selfless leadership for England, noting, "He gets everyone together. If there's a problem between two people, he'll bring them together." Whether these deals cross the finish line remains to be seen, but Chelsea's newfound appetite for maturity could define their upcoming campaign.