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Danny Welbeck: Numbers behind Chelsea’s chase for the proven target man
29th July, 2026 10:35 AM
Chelsea is close to confirming the signing of Danny Welbeck, who is set to join Xabi Alonso’s squad.
According to football journalist Fabrizio Romano, the deal is only a matter of time, with the player and Chelsea having agreed on a two-year contract running until 2028.
Welbeck’s medical has already been planned, and the striker is poised to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour in Hong Kong.
The former Manchester United academy graduate and ex-Arsenal forward also had a top-flight stint with Watford before joining Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020.
Scoring pedigree
Welbeck is currently contracted to Brighton until next summer. He scored a career-high 13 Premier League goals last season as Brighton finished eighth to qualify for the UEFA Conference League.
Since joining the Amex in 2020, Welbeck has tallied 51 goals and 18 assists in 201 appearances. Across his spells with Manchester United, Sunderland, Arsenal, Watford, and Brighton, he has amassed 400 Premier League appearances and scored 90 goals.
The Englishman has enjoyed some of the finest form of his career recently at Brighton. Following the appointment of Fabian Hürzeler two years ago, Welbeck scored 25 goals in 76 appearances under the manager, just two fewer than he managed in 112 matches for Arsène Wenger at Arsenal during the 2010s.
Notably, 21 of those 25 strikes were non-penalty Premier League goals.
Leadership and beyond
Given Chelsea’s recent strategy of signing young talent, the 35-year-old striker is expected to bring veteran leadership along with a reliable goalscoring pedigree.
Chelsea’s attacking duties fell heavily on João Pedro last season, and Welbeck’s profile appeals to Alonso as a way to provide proven depth upfront.
Welbeck first reached double figures in a campaign during his early career. After navigating spells with various clubs over the years, he has rediscovered his finest goalscoring form in recent seasons, delivering back-to-back double-digit Premier League goal hauls in 2024–25 and 2025–26.
The Blues have already acquired Morgen Rogers from Aston Villa in a British transfer record, while Alejandro garnacho left the club in an opposite move, albeit on loan.
Chelsea is also pursuing Jordan Henderson and Manchester City out-of-contract defender John Stones.
