LONDON: Chelsea are planning a surprise move to sign Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson on a free transfer this summer.
The Blues are looking to add experience to the squad and see the former Liverpool captain as an ideal candidate to strengthen the team.
Henderson, 36, joined Brentford on a two-year contract before last season after spending 18 months with Ajax.
The team managed by Keith Andrews now has the potential to allow the experienced player to leave the club for free to continue his career at the highest level.
Chelsea are not the only club interested as two other Premier League (EPL) clubs are believed to be also chasing the midfielder’s signature.
Henderson was part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad at the World Cup and is considered a key leader in the dressing room.
The situation makes it suitable for Chelsea’s transfer approach this summer which is starting to shift from just hunting for talented young players to an effort to acquire more experienced players.
Earlier this summer, the Blues targeted Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, 33, who previously played for Arsenal.
Today, reports emerged that Chelsea want to add Brighton striker Danny Welbeck, 35, to their attack.
SunSport also reported last week that the Blues were considering a move for John Stones, but the player is now expected to join the Serie A club.
Henderson began his career with Sunderland and made 79 appearances for the club before moving to Liverpool in 2011.
The Sunderland-born player was a mainstay at Anfield for 12 years, taking over the captaincy from Steven Gerrard and helping the club win the EPL title, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups and the Club World Cup.
After his playing minutes dwindled, Henderson opted to rejoin Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq in the summer of 2023.
The move to Saudi Arabia sparked criticism of the England player before he decided to return to Europe by joining Ajax in January 2024.
Henderson then revived his career in Amsterdam, making 57 appearances for the Dutch giants before returning to the EPL with Brentford in 2025.