Chelsea have agreed a two-year contract with Jordan Henderson to sign him from Brentford this summer, according to Nicolo Schira.
Chelsea named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League last season, with an average age of just 24 years and 194 days. That lack of experience ultimately took its toll, especially in the second half of the season as the Blues ended the campaign in 10th place.
Discipline also proved to be a major concern. Chelsea accumulated a league-high eight red cards and 88 yellow cards, underlining recurring issues with maturity and game management throughout the season.
Head coach Xabi Alonso has consistently placed a premium on leadership and experience. During his first full season at Bayer Leverkusen, he signed four players aged 27 or older before guiding the club to its maiden Bundesliga title.
As such, Chelsea have been working to add more experience to their squad this summer and have already reached an agreement to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton & Hove Albion, following the signing of 26-year-old Maxence Lacroix.
In recent days, Alonso’s side have been heavily linked with Brentford’s Henderson over a potential summer swoop.
It appears a deal is now nearing completion, as Nicolo Schira reports that Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Henderson on a two-year contract.
‘Terrific’ midfielder
The Blues are now looking to reach a club-to-club agreement with the Italian journalist, adding that Chelsea are in advanced talks with Brentford over the 36-year-old’s transfer.
The London giant is scheduled to hold direct talks again with the Bees in the next hours to thrash out the deal for the 90-cap England international’s move to Stamford Bridge this summer, Schira adds.
After narrowly missing out on Europe last season following a joint club-best ninth-place finish, head coach Keith Andrew laid out the importance of having Henderson and the key role he played in the team’s surge, saying:
‘He’s a big presence, as I’m sure people are aware of and know. For us, the way he carries himself, his presence on the pitch, his leadership qualities – I think it [signing Henderson] did go a little bit under the radar.’
Should Chelsea finalise the deal to sign Henderson, who has been described as ‘terrific’ by Virgil van Dijk, he will not only bring much-needed leadership to the dressing room but also serve as a role model for the club’s younger players, who can draw inspiration from his winning mentality, trophy-laden career and wealth of experience built across 463 Premier League appearances.
