Transfer summer: Chelsea chase Welbeck, Stones leaves City
The European football calendar has entered the phase many fans await more eagerly than the season opener itself: the transfer window. And the 2026 market is not disappointing. Big names are changing shirts before the 1 September deadline, and we have picked out the moves that caught the eye most, with marks for the clubs and players involved.
Welbeck leaves Brighton and joins Chelsea at 35
Danny Welbeck’s departure is a heavy blow for Brighton. The forward was the side’s outright top scorer last season and is the third highest goalscorer in the club’s history. Even so, nobody at the Falmer Stadium will criticise the decision: at 35, a rare chance came along for the veteran. Coach Fabian Hurzeler is now racing to find a replacement, with Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas still out with the cruciate ligament injury he suffered in December. That leaves Charalampos Kostoulas, Georginio Rutter and the recently returned Evan Ferguson, back from his loan at Roma.
On the other side, Chelsea have brought experience and leadership to an overly young squad. Welbeck is enjoying the most prolific scoring spell of his 18 years in the Premier League, with 13 goals last campaign, and has a curious record: nine goals and two assists in 19 games against Chelsea themselves. He should be a rotation option behind Joao Pedro, but the Stamford Bridge board still has to resolve the glut of centre-forwards in the squad, with Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu and others in the queue to leave.
Stones swaps Manchester City for Inter Milan
Centre-back John Stones has closed a ten-year chapter at Manchester City, marked by historic titles including the 2022-23 Champions League, but also by a cruel run of injuries. After missing 18 games last season with a thigh problem, it became clear no renewal was coming. The Englishman now signs a two-year deal with Inter on around £115,000 a week, well below what he earned at the Etihad.
For the Italians it is a risky bet given the injury history, but the internal line is that Serie A’s slower rhythm could extend the defender’s career. Stones replaces Francesco Acerbi, now 38, and is reunited with former team-mate Manuel Akanji in Milan, as well as forming a back three with the highly rated Alessandro Bastoni.
Lacroix leaves Palace for Chelsea at £52m
Another important chapter of the window involves French centre-back Maxence Lacroix, sold by Crystal Palace to Chelsea for £52 million – almost triple the £18 million paid to Wolfsburg less than two years ago. A key piece in Palace’s recent successes, including the FA Cup and the Conference League, Lacroix should form a defensive partnership with Levi Colwill under Xabi Alonso, in precisely the area that had been a headache for the Blues.
Anderson leaves Nottingham Forest to be City’s new Rodri
Finally, midfielder Elliot Anderson was sold by Nottingham Forest to Manchester City for a fee between £116 million and £130 million, according to the English club’s own estimates – a gigantic mark-up on a player bought for just £35 million two years ago. His brief in Manchester is clear: fill the void left by Rodri, whose future at the club is still undecided. At 23, Anderson arrives as the midfielder with the most touches and the most duels won in the Premier League last season, and gets his chance to establish himself among Europe’s elite.
