Chelsea fans explode at surprise Jordan Henderson transfer news
Xabi Alonso is keen to add experience and quality to his squad this summer after Chelsea struggled throughout last season.
The new Blues boss has already sanctioned the arrival of playmaker Morgan Rogers in a deal worth around £118million, while Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Garnacho and Andrey Santos have left for pastures new.
Fabrizio Romano revealed, via X, on Monday evening that Chelsea are keen on a move for former Liverpool captain Henderson, who could be allowed to leave Brentford on a free transfer this summer.
Chelsea are leading the race for the 36-year-old, who featured in 32 Premier League matches last season, and he is open to the move.
Many Blues fans have flocked to the social media site to express their annoyance and shock at reports of their interest in his services.
Chelsea fans blast BlueCo after Jordan Henderson news - 'This club is dead'
Links to Henderson have emerged just hours after reports of Chelsea's interest in Brighton striker Danny Welbeck came to the fore online.
The veteran midfielder remained a regular for Brentford last season after joining the club from Ajax, having initially left Liverpool and the Premier League for Al-Ettifaq back in 2023.
He boasts a wealth of experience at the top level and was recently praised as a key man in the England dressing room by several of his international teammates, despite only featuring for six minutes at the World Cup.
Chelsea fans have long demanded that their owners, BlueCo, add more experience to their young squad, but links to Henderson have seemingly crossed the line.
Taking to X, one fan said: "From Welbeck to Henderson? I though the owners were serious, but at this rate they've turned Chelsea into a retirement home. How will Henderson cope with Arsenal's physicality in games? This is a serious joke."
Another wrote: "This club is dead. Is this the kind of experience we asked for? They clearly don't want to spend money on experienced players, would rather sign oldies that will demand less salary than those at their peak. CFC IS GONE."
While one supporter added: "I appreciate the change in approach, I really do, but Henderson is surely a step too far. I don't even think he is good anymore unlike Xhaka/Welbeck/Stones. Not for me, that one."
What has Jude Bellingham said about Henderson?
Chelsea boss Alonso clearly knows what he wants in this window, with links to Welbeck and Henderson signalling a real shift in the club's transfer policy.
John Stones and Granit Xhaka are two other players with huge PL experience who have been linked to the club this summer.
Henderson would not seemingly be their sole central midfield addition, with sources telling Football Insider that Chelsea remain keen on signing Alex Scott this summer.
While the majority of Blues fans are against Henderson's possible arrival, previous quotes from England star Bellingham should give a real insight into why they are after his services.
Speaking about the 36-year-old to England's in-house media last month, he said: "He’s so funny, so funny. He’s the funniest guy at this camp and he gets everyone laughing, he gets everyone together. If there’s ever an issue which you maybe think, ‘I’m 22 or 23, maybe it’s a bit too much for me to go and address’, he’ll do it for you.
“If there’s a problem between two people, he’ll bring them together. He’s that kind of person where even the staff will go to him to sort out issues. He’s got no ego when it comes to the team. I mean, yes he’s a Champions League-winning captain, Premier League-winning captain, he’s doing the sets for the finishers yesterday. He doesn’t have to do that. He doesn’t have to be that humble.
"Every day in training, he’s relentless in wanting to be better and wanting to push everyone else to be better. He drives the intensity. I don’t know if we’re allowed to say it but some of the lads that didn’t play as many minutes had a game today against a local team (Miami United) and, honestly, you watch him in it and you think it’s the Champions League final. I don’t get how you cannot admire that."