Chelsea eye shock swoop for Brighton’s Danny Welbeck to add vital experience to youthful frontline
Chelsea are exploring a deal to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton as the club seek to add experience to their frontline.
Welbeck has less than a year to run on his contract at Brighton and Chelsea are assessing whether a cut-price deal can be done for the veteran forward.
The 35-year-old scored 13 league goals for the Seagulls last season in the most prolific Premier League campaign of his career. it was a second straight season of 10+ Premier League goals for Welbeck, who has produced the most consistent period of his career at Brighton.
Welbeck spent time in London earlier in his career with spells at Arsenal and Watford. According to The Athletic, Chelsea view Welbeck as an experienced option to help guide a youthful squad. It follows a failed move for Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka earlier in the summer.
Chelsea had the youngest squad by average age in the Premier League last season and Xabi Alonso is keen to bring in some more mature options.
The West Londoners are currently overhauling their forwards with the situation of several options uncertain. Nicolas Jackson has returned from a loan spell at Bayern Munich and has interest from Aston Villa, while Marc Guiu is expected to depart.
Liam Delap also has suitors in the Premier League following a disappointing debut season. Elsewhere, Emmanuel Emegha has signed from Strasbourg but could immediately be sent on loan to gain experience.
