Chelsea are working to sign midfielder Jordan Henderson from Brentford.
The Stamford Bridge membership are the main contenders to sign Henderson, with a number of Premier League sides eager about a transfer for the 36-year-old.
Brentford are prepared to grant Henderson a free switch, with the scenario amicable between the England worldwide and his membership, the place he has a 12 months remaining on the phrases he signed when he joined as a free agent from Ajax final summer season.
Henderson was a part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad on the World Cup this 12 months, however suffered a broken left arm after slipping whereas climbing over an promoting board throughout his facet’s win over Mexico on the Estadio Azteca within the last-16 and had to have surgical procedure. Having made one substitute look in England’s last group-stage recreation, he remained with the staff after surgical procedure as they misplaced to Argentina within the semi-finals.
After specializing in the recruitment of youthful gamers in current seasons, Chelsea have been extra skilled names this summer season. Earlier on Monday, The Athletic reported that they had been exploring a transfer for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck, 35, whereas they beforehand focused Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, seeing an £8m offer for the 33-year-old turned down. Chelsea have additionally expressed curiosity within the 32-year-old John Stones.
Chelsea have allowed one midfielder to depart this summer season, with Andrey Santos becoming a member of Manchester United in a deal value up to £50million ($66.5m).
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Henderson made 22 league begins for Brentford final season, showing an additional 10 occasions instead. He had performed 57 video games for Ajax between 2023 and 2025.
The England worldwide got here by means of the academy at Sunderland earlier than becoming a member of Liverpool in 2011. Henderson spent 12 seasons at Anfield, changing into Liverpool captain and lifting the Premier League and Champions League whereas making 492 appearances in all competitions.
He then made a controversial swap to Al Ettifaq in the summertime of 2023 — the transfer to Saudi Arabia attracting criticism given his earlier help for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and the truth that homosexuality is prohibited within the Gulf nation — which he defended in an interview with The Athletic.
Chelsea are presently in Australia on a pre-season tour, the place they are going to face Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, earlier than taking part in Juventus in Hong Kong.
New supervisor Xabi Alonso has already overseen the recruitment of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m and Marco Palestra from Atalanta.
‘A staggering change in Chelsea’s recruitment’
Analysis by soccer author Cerys Jones
It is difficult to overstate how a lot of a swing that is away from Chelsea’s earlier recruitment technique.
After years of pretty dependable concentrate on youth and potential, the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge have thrown themselves into this summer season’s drive for expertise and maturity, for stabilising presences within the staff. If skilled heads within the dressing room are the order of the day, Henderson is about as quintessential as they arrive.
At 36, the midfielder is just eight years youthful than Alonso. The Englishman’s expertise and management had been cited by head coach Keith Andrews as among the many causes for bringing him to Brentford, as he was described as “one of the most influential leaders in modern Premier League years” and somebody who would “drive standards” on the membership. Tuchel, who took Henderson to the World Cup this summer season, referred to him in 2025 as a “serial winner”, including: “What he brings to every team is leadership, character, personality, energy.”
Yes, Henderson has footballing qualities to add on the pitch and has stayed persistently accessible for Brentford, making 32 appearances within the Premier League this season. But he’s absolutely being introduced in primarily for his non-footballing attributes. That marks a staggering change of method in Chelsea’s recruitment.
Chelsea focused Xhaka earlier this summer season (George Wood/Getty Images)
This signing could be an enormous coup in Chelsea’s drive for expertise and brings them a veteran who has confirmed he can nonetheless add worth to a Premier League facet on the pitch, so long as they hold him a protected distance from promoting boards. It does, nonetheless, elevate equally important questions for Henderson’s would-be midfield colleagues.
Henderson can actually be a pacesetter across the coaching floor and dressing room, however what number of alternatives will he have to do it on the pitch? Moises Caicedo and Reece James (if he performs as a midfielder relatively than full-back) are absolutely starters, and Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, and Enzo Fernandez all want to discover minutes too in the event that they keep on the membership. There isn’t any European soccer this season to assist with that.
Given Henderson’s age, it might be prudent not to have him block pathways for his or her youthful midfield prospects; he can do an essential job for Chelsea now, however will be unable to do it long-term. Does that imply Henderson would have to settle for a primarily substitute position, and would he be content material with that?
The final time Chelsea signed a participant Henderson’s age or older was goalkeeper Rob Green, then 38, in 2018, who by no means made a aggressive look for them. The different closest comparability is the signing of Thiago Silva, then 35, from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
