According to The Athletic, Chelsea have adjusted their transfer strategy, signing Welbeck and nearing a deal for Henderson. Welbeck, 35, has officially become a Chelsea player, with Henderson, 36, set to follow suit.
Among all of Chelsea's transfers in recent years, these two signings have surprised most. Since January 2023, under the Boehly consortium, Chelsea has prioritized signing young talents with growth potential. So, what has changed?
This is not to say that the current owners have completely ignored established players since acquiring the club in May 2022. Their first transfer window brought in Sterling, then 27, Koulibaly, then 31, and Aubameyang, then 33. But none of the three had the desired impact. Koulibaly and Aubameyang left a year later, and Sterling's performance at Chelsea also fell short of expectations. He officially left in January this year, but his last appearance for Chelsea was in May 2024.
The struggles of these three were a significant reason for Chelsea's adjustment of their transfer strategy starting in January 2023. Over the past three seasons, Chelsea's squad has consistently been the youngest in the Premier League by average age. However, they finished sixth, fourth, and tenth in the Premier League, respectively, during which there were highlights such as winning the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup.
Adarabioyo joined Chelsea as a free agent from Fulham in 2024. He will be 28 when he plays for Chelsea in the 2025-26 season, making him the oldest player in the squad. The arrival of Welbeck and Henderson is clearly a significant step up.
This should not be solely attributed to new coach Xavi Alonso, who took office in May this year. Co-owner Behdad Eghbali had already clearly hinted at changes taking place in April this year at the CAA World Sports Congress in Los Angeles.
Eghbali said: "We have a plan. We will reflect on this plan. If it doesn't work, we will try to improve and fine-tune it. At this stage, we must do better in some aspects, add more finished players, take the project to the next level, and maintain stability in the long run. We recognize the need for balance. You need to adjust the model, improve it, and learn from mistakes."
Mentioning Liam Rosenior might not elicit a positive reaction from Chelsea fans, but after replacing Enzo Maresca in January this year, he found that the team's squad lacked certain qualities.
Club sources, speaking anonymously to The Athletic to protect relationships, revealed that Rosenior told players in his first first-team meeting that a lack of emotional maturity was hurting their chances of winning. Rosenior pointed out that Chelsea might be on top in a game, but if things went against them, whether it was a referee's decision or an unlucky goal conceded, they would lose focus for the next 10 to 15 minutes and often lose the game.
Despite Rosenior asking players to improve in this regard, he didn't get a better response. The club believes that the first-leg loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 is a key example. Chelsea conceded the lead to Paris in the 74th minute due to a mistake by goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, and then collapsed after the score became 2-3. They then conceded two more goals, essentially putting the tie beyond doubt, with Chelsea ultimately losing 2-8 on aggregate. When the score was 2-4, Pedro Neto pushed a ball boy in an emotional outburst, which was another red flag.
Chelsea's poor disciplinary record is also a factor. Over the past three seasons, they have finished bottom of the fair play table twice and second to last in the 2024-25 season once. Leading group members such as Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, who were supposed to set an example, were also frequently punished by referees.
When meeting with Chelsea about the coaching position, former midfielder Xavi Alonso spoke about a problem the club had already identified: the team needed to build and add more "mental monsters." This was crucial and meant that all parties were in agreement from day one.
Xavi Alonso, speaking about how to build a good culture in a football club during Chelsea's pre-season tour in Sydney, said: "In my opinion, you need the right balance of personalities, balance of maturity stages, players in their early 20s, players in their early 30s, and players in between, who are at different stages of their careers."
Talking about what you want to do is one thing; actually doing it is another. Chelsea entered the transfer window hoping to sign "finished players" from Europe's top five leagues, and they have done so.
Chelsea does not see this as just an age issue, nor is it about buying veterans for the sake of buying veterans. Lacroix, 26, is considered to fit their criteria, having played in the Premier League for Crystal Palace for the previous two seasons. Morgan Rogers, whom Chelsea signed from Aston Villa for a club-record £117 million, can also be categorized in this way; he is 24. The club even believes that Palestra, 21, also meets the requirements, having been named Serie A's best defender in the 2025-26 season during his loan spell at Cagliari.
Henderson and Welbeck will naturally receive the most attention on this topic. Chelsea believes Henderson can help raise standards in training and matches, pushing those around him, but in a positive way, rather than singling out individuals in front of the whole squad. It is also believed that he will not ask others to do what he is unwilling to do himself. However, if Chelsea performs poorly in the first half of a game, Henderson will not be afraid to voice his opinion at halftime.
Welbeck is also seen as someone who can motivate the team, albeit in a different way. Chelsea appreciates the striker's positive energy and believes he can connect people and improve the team's atmosphere.
Don't forget, before pursuing Henderson, Chelsea tried very hard to sign Xhaka, 33, from Sunderland for the same reasons. However, Sunderland made it clear he was not for sale. Chelsea then inquired about free agent Stones, 32, but he chose to join Inter Milan.
Even if Henderson and Welbeck only play at Stamford Bridge for a few years, Chelsea believes it will prove worthwhile, as they will bring an atmosphere and energy to the dressing room that the team may have been lacking, and impart valuable experience.
James will remain captain, and the new signings will not undermine his authority. While he is not the most vocal captain, when he chooses to speak, people listen.
However, having more voices around him will only help. James knows both players, especially Henderson from their time with the England national team. James, 26, respects what Henderson can bring, so there will be no issues in this regard.
Will there be more players over 30 joining in the future? This cannot be ruled out, but Chelsea has not explicitly chosen to make this the norm.
As with any transfer window, results will determine whether these decisions are successful. But no one can accuse Chelsea of not trying to adjust their philosophy.
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