Why Chelsea want to sign older players

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Chelsea’s interest in Maxence Lacroix, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson points to a possible adjustment in the club’s transfer approach after several seasons dominated by younger signings. Lacroix, a 26-year-old Crystal Palace defender, is described as a £52m target, while Brighton forward Welbeck, 35, and Brentford midfielder Henderson, 36, would bring much older profiles than most recent arrivals at Stamford Bridge.

The report frames the shift against Chelsea’s mixed record since the BlueCo takeover. In summer 2022, the club added experienced players including Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but those moves produced limited long-term value. Chelsea then leaned heavily toward youth, spending large fees on players such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer, with BBC Sport highlighting Palmer, Fernandez and Caicedo as examples that have paid off.

However, the youth-led model has also brought setbacks, including injury problems for Wesley Fofana, limited impact from Joao Felix, and Mykhailo Mudryk’s suspension and subsequent FA ban, which BBC Sport says he has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On the pitch, Chelsea’s league form has been inconsistent, moving from 12th in 2022-23 to sixth and fourth before dropping to 10th last season, despite winning the Conference League and Club World Cup.

BBC Sport’s analysis says manager Xabi Alonso has previously used a mix of ages, including senior signings at Bayer Leverkusen, and owner Behdad Eghbali has spoken of “tweaking” the model by adding experience around a young core. If completed, the latest targets would suggest Chelsea want more ready-made Premier League know-how rather than abandoning youth recruitment entirely.