Chelsea are close to signing Brighton striker Danny Welbeck after he was granted permission to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge, with the 35-year-old expected to sign a two-year contract. The deal is part of new manager Xabi Alonso's push to add experience to a Chelsea squad that has been the youngest in the Premier League for two seasons, a factor seen as limiting their ability to compete consistently for major trophies.

Welbeck, formerly of Manchester United and Arsenal, has scored 90 goals in 400 top-flight appearances and is Brighton's leading Premier League scorer since joining on a free transfer from Watford in 2021; he is set to join Chelsea's pre-season tour in Hong Kong next week. The move follows other experience-focused signings, including an offer for Sunderland's Granit Xhaka, the capture of centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, and ongoing talks with Brentford's Jordan Henderson, alongside younger additions such as Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra. Welbeck's arrival would give Chelsea six senior strikers, potentially prompting exits for Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap or Marc Guiu.