Chelsea are reshaping their squad ahead of Xabi Alonso's debut season at Stamford Bridge, and two seasoned veterans could be the next arrivals — Jordan Henderson on a free transfer from Brentford and Danny Welbeck on a deal agreed with Brighton & Hove Albion.

According to BBC Sport's Nazaar Kinsella and Sami Mokbel, Henderson, 36, has a year remaining on his Brentford contract but the club are prepared to release him at no cost. The England midfielder made 34 appearances in all competitions for Brentford last season following his move from Ajax. His 2022 World Cup campaign came to a premature end when he broke his arm after falling over advertising hoardings while celebrating England's last-16 victory over Mexico.

Welbeck, meanwhile, has been granted permission to undergo a medical ahead of a two-year move to Stamford Bridge. Brighton & Hove Albion will collect an undisclosed fee, protected by a one-year contract extension the forward signed earlier this year. At 35, Welbeck arrives in west London off the back of the finest goalscoring campaign of his career — 13 Premier League goals for the Seagulls last season, surpassing any previous return from his time at Manchester United, Arsenal, and beyond.

The two signings reflect a deliberate shift in Chelsea's transfer approach this summer. The Blues have already invested in youth, bringing in Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record fee, signing Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra, completing the arrival of Geovany Quenda, and adding striker Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg. Those four players average between 21 and 22 years of age, with two further teenage recruits also arriving for smaller fees.

Henderson and Welbeck offer something different: leadership, experience, and availability. Welbeck in particular could see significant game time, with Liam Delap yet to cement a regular starting role and Emegha still developing at the top level.

Both players are expected to join Chelsea's pre-season tour, which includes a match against Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney before fixtures against Juventus in Hong Kong and AC Milan in Jakarta. Alonso will then face his former club Real Sociedad in his first home match as Chelsea manager at Stamford Bridge. The Blues open their Premier League campaign away at Fulham on Monday, August 24.