Chelsea have pivoted dramatically from their transfer policy since the new owners took over the club, with them now looking to solve their lack of experience this summer.
The club are close to announcing the additions of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson to their squad as key members of the leadership group at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have a first team squad packed with talent, but lacking experience and the ability to pick up victories in tough environments.
There are three very clear examples from the previous 2025/26 season where those experienced heads would have been welcomed, and The Chelsea Chronicle will take you through them now.
Sweden v England: Quarter Final - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
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Leeds 3-1 Chelsea – December 3, 2025
Chelsea travelled to Elland Road in December with reports speculating that Leeds manager Daniel Farke would be sacked if they were beaten by the Blues.
The German deployed a new-look back three which completely bamboozled Chelsea, and they looked intimidated by a rampant home support.
Players like Henderson and Welbeck have seen this all before, and would not be scared by the reaction of a fanbase who were desperate to beat an old enemy.
With Moises Caicedo unavailable, the opportunity was perfect for the English midfielder to slot into the starting side instead of Andrey Santos.
Leeds United v Chelsea - Premier League
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Brighton 3-0 Chelsea – April 21, 2026
Welbeck came off the bench to score for Brighton in this game, adding to his tally of seven against the Blues in the league.
The outing on the south coast ended up being Liam Rosenior’s final game in charge, and it had become clear the players had stopped playing for the manager.
With players openly ignoring Rosenior’s instructions, this is the kind of thing having leaders in the group would not have allowed to happen.
Henderson in particular has been described as a player who lifts the standards of those around them, and Welbeck has played against enough former sides to deal with the hostile fan reception that awaits him.
First Danny Welbeck and now Jordan Henderson! What is going on at Chelsea?
Chelsea want to sign Jordan Henderson graphic
Photo by Leonardo Fernandez – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Sunderland 2-1 Chelsea – May 24, 2026
Even after what had been seen as a dreadful season for the Blues, they still had a chance of qualifying for Europe when they visited Sunderland on the final day of the campaign.
While their opponents had Granit Xhaka’s experience in key moments like this, Chelsea had nothing to counter that and they went on to lose 2-1.
Welbeck and Henderson have been part of plenty of sides who have managed to get the job done no matter the circumstances, and a rousing teamtalk from one of them before the game could’ve seen a different result on the pitch.
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