Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson after he came to an agreement with Brentford to mutually terminate his contract a year early.
Henderson signed a two-year deal to join Brentford from Ajax last summer and made 34 appearances in all competitions as the Bees secured a ninth-place finish in the Premier League. He has agreed a two-year deal with the Blues. After being called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup, in turn becoming the first England player to be selected for seven tournaments, Henderson then made clear to the Bees that he wanted to leave amid interest from Chelsea.
In the statement, there were also some comments from director of football Phil Giles which provides some insight into the conversations that took place between all parties. He said: "We agreed that we would sit down after the World Cup and decide what the targets would be for both the club and Jordan in the second year of the contract. "Following those conversations, it was clear that Jordan’s preference was to try something different in the final years of his playing career. We had always said to him that, should that be the case, we would not stand in his way. “He therefore leaves after a very successful season, both personally and collectively, with the best wishes and gratitude of myself and everyone at Brentford."
The 35-year-old scored 13 league goals last term, the best tally of his career. Welbeck's signing would mark another significant step in a revised Chelsea transfer policy, as they seek to recruit more established buys under new manager Xabi Alonso. With more than 400 Premier League appearances, the former England striker's arrival is the clearest departure yet from the club's recent strategy of seeking out young, inexperienced players with potential. The 35-year-old will then fly to Hong Kong to join his new teammates on the second leg of their preseason tour, having agreed a two-year deal, the Press Association reported.