Chelsea are believed to be exploring a move to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton this summer. The Blues have been active in the window already, signing Marcos Palestra and Morgan Rogers. Maxence Lacroix is on the cusp of a switch from south to west London.
Valentin Barco and Pep Chavarria will be Chelsea players before long if reports are to be believed. Now, having pursued youth in recent years, the Blues appear to have changed tact. Lacroix will be the first player Chelsea have signed since 2022 aged 26 or above.
Welbeck, meanwhile, is in the twilight years of his career, as is rumoured target Jordan Henderson. It’s a change of direction in terms of recruitment, that goes without saying. Brighton, though, won’t stand in the 35-year-old’s way providing both teams can agree a fair fee for the forward.
In addition, Welbeck won’t be the first to have departed Brighton for Chelsea. The path from the south coast to Stamford Bridge is a well-trodden one. Indeed, Welbeck would be the seventh to have departed the AMEX for the capital since 2022 should the move come to fruition.
With that, we assess whether the previous players to leave Brighton for Chelsea have been a hit or a miss.
Shim Mheuka
Shim Mheuka isn’t a household name at Chelsea. The teenage forward departed Brighton for the Blues back in 2022, with Chelsea ultimately coughing up £1m in compensation to sign the 18-year-old.
Mheuka has made a handful of first-team appearances for the west London side, and, in 2025, became the youngest player to start for Chelsea in European competition having been a surprise inclusion in a 2-1 away win at Copenhagen.
The youngster is eligible to represent Zimbabwe but is likely to turn out for England. Indeed, he’s represented the Three Lions from U15 to U19 level, and has scored 16 goals in 23 appearances for the latter. He remains one to keep an eye on.
Verdict: Too soon to tell
Marc Cucurella
In the same summer Chelsea signed Mheuka, they also splashed the cash to land left-back Marc Cucurella. Manchester City were also credited with an interest in the Spain international, who had impressed for Brighton following his 2021 arrival from La Liga side Getafe.
Chelsea Transfer News: Six Players Who Could Leave Stamford Bridge This Summer
Many felt the Blues had been taken for a ride when they agreed to pay Brighton an initial £56m to sign Cucurella. And admittedly, the Spain international struggled in his opening season at Stamford Bridge.
However, Cucurella ended his time in west London on a high having turned his fortunes around in west London. Spain’s starting left-back secured a high-profile move to Real Madrid days after the 2026 World Cup kicked off and proved his worth with a starring role in La Roja’s successful summer campaign in North America.
Verdict: Hit
Zak Sturge
Just as Chelsea did in 2022, they carried out a Brighton youth academy raid in 2023 as they snared Zak Sturge. Now 22, Sturge failed to make a single appearance for the Blues, going out on loan to Peterborough in 2023 and then to Millwall in 2025.
The Lions made Sturge’s move permanent last summer after what proved a forgettable spell at Stamford Bridge.
Verdict: Miss
Moises Caicedo
Chelsea completed a senior double-raid on Brighton in the 2023 summer transfer window. Moises Caicedo was the big money addition from the Seagulls. The Ecuador captain completed a £100m move to Stamford Bridge three years ago, a fee that could yet rise to £115m.
Caicedo endured a testing debut campaign in the capital, however. The midfielder was under huge pressure to hit the ground running following his nine-figure switch to Chelsea. In the two years since, Caicedo has gone on to become one of the first names on the Chelsea team sheet.
The 24-year-old finished last season 12th for tackles (87). No player made more interceptions (59) in England’s top tier last term. As Xabi Alonso seeks to make an immediate impact in his debut season as Chelsea boss, he’ll look to Caicedo to marshal the side from the middle of the park.
Verdict: Hit
Robert Sanchez
Edouard Mendy and Kepa’s respective 2023 moves to Al-Ahli and Real Madrid saw Robert Sanchez immediately parachuted into the number one spot following his arrival from Brighton.
The Seagulls were more than happy to cash in on the Spaniard, who’d lost his starting spot at the AMEX to Jason Steele. That it in itself should have been a red flag. Sanchez has shown glimpses of his quality during his time as starting goalkeeper for the Blues.
However, Sanchez has struggled to really prove his worth at Stamford Bridge in the long run. They’ve tried to replace the 28-year-old in recent windows, but to no avail. And having committed the joint-second most errors leading to an opposition goal (7) since the start of the 2023/24 Premier League season, it’s fair to say Sanchez has been more miss than hit.
Verdict: Miss
Joao Pedro
As Chelsea sought to rectify their striking issues last summer, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro joined from Ipswich and Brighton, respectively. The former faltered in London, whereas the latter thrived.
Pedro struck 15 league goals last season, more than any other Chelsea player and the fifth most overall. Initially brought in as a shadow striker, the Brazilian undertook the role as the club’s lead striker and thrived.
Unfairly overlooked for the Brazil setup at the 2026 World Cup, Pedro should take solace from a bright debut campaign in west London. And after a summer of rest, the 24-year-old should prove a huge asset for Xabi Alonso in the coming campaign.
Verdict: Hit
