Chelsea explore shock deal for Danny Welbeck and listening to offers on star signed last month

Chelsea are assessing a move for Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, talkSPORT understands.

Talks are at an early stage between the two clubs for Welbeck, who has 12 months remaining on his contract with the Seagulls.

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It is also understood Brighton will not stand in Welbeck’s way, should the clubs agree on a fair fee.

The 35-year-old has been at Brighton since October 2020.

In that time, Welbeck has scored over 50 goals for the club from 201 appearances across all competitions.

The veteran enjoyed the best goalscoring return of his career last season, netting 13 times in 37 league fixtures.

Welbeck’s impressive goal haul, which was the third-most among English strikers in the Premier League behind Ollie Watkins and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, had many believing he could have been in with a shout of making Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup.

One of those voices was Welbeck’s former Brighton teammate Adam Lallana, who believed the striker’s experience would have proved valuable on the world stage.

Ultimately Welbeck did not receive a call-up as Tuchel opted for Harry Kane, Watkins and Ivan Toney.

One in, one out?

Chelsea’s mooted swoop for Welbeck comes shortly after they completed the signing of striker Emmanuel Emegha from sister club Strasbourg.

Despite the recent acquisition, reports claim the Blues are already open to offers for the 23-year-old.

Emegha did not travel with the Blues to Australia for their pre-season tour, having picked up an injury.

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The Dutch international scored eight goals last term for Strasbourg but missed a worrying 33 matches due to injury.

Sean Dyche’s verdict on Chelsea’s move for Welbeck

For ex-Premier League manager Sean Dyche, Chelsea’s decision to explore a deal for Welbeck suggests either the club or new manager Xabi Alonso has identified the need to bring in experience.

Dyche added that the club’s failed pursuit of Granit Xhaka, who played under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, gives weight to that theory.

It represents a change from the Blues’ transfer approach in recent years, where they would pursue some of football’s brightest young talents.

“I think, looking at the last few years of their model, looked like constantly buying young players,” Dyche said on talkSPORT.

“Not so much depth in their Premier League knowledge. Granit Xhaka was linked heavily, and that didn’t quite go through.

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“If you’re then having Danny Welbeck, he (Alonso) might just want some players that have been there, seen it, done it. Great pros, rub off on everyone else, bring them along.

“That old-school sort of thinking where you get a good bunch of pros that can rub off on all the young ones and bring the culture and environment up to their standards. That’s what I can imagine.

“Danny Welbeck, never hear a bad word said about him. A great job at Brighton over the years. He’s shown his game knowledge, his professional knowledge. He seems to be a proper pro.”