Jordan Henderson quits Brentford ahead of Chelsea move

Sam DeanWed, July 29, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC

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Jordan Henderson made 32 Premier League appearances during his season-long stay at Brentford - Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Jordan Henderson’s expected switch to Chelsea has moved a step closer after he and Brentford reached an agreement to terminate his contract.

The England midfielder had signed a two-year deal at Brentford following his return to the Premier League from Ajax last year but that agreement has now been ripped up.

It means the 36-year-old is free to join Chelsea without the need for a transfer fee, after he was identified by new manager Xabi Alonso as having the required experience and leadership skills.

Provided his move to Stamford Bridge is finalised as expected, Henderson will become the oldest player that Chelsea have signed since the BlueCo takeover of the club in 2022. Since the start of 2023, Chelsea have signed only one player aged 26 or older – Tosin Adarabioyo, who joined from Fulham on a free transfer in 2024.

Chelsea’s pursuit of Henderson has gone hand-in-hand with their attempts to sign Danny Welbeck, 35, from Brighton. That transfer is also progressing, with Welbeck now expected to join Chelsea imminently.

Chelsea are also working to finalise a deal to sign Danny Welbeck from Brighton - Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images

Brentford and Henderson had a longstanding agreement that the club would not stand in his way if he wanted to pursue new opportunities at the end of his first year at the Gtech Community Stadium.

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Henderson, who captained Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2020, played a vital role for Brentford last season as he helped the club to cope with a summer of huge change following the departure of a series of key individuals, including head coach Thomas Frank and captain Christian Norgaard.

“Jordan signed for us last summer on a two-year deal,” said Phil Giles, Brentford’s director of football. “The plan we agreed at the time was for Jordan to add his experience to the team and help the club achieve a good Premier League finish. In return, the club committed to helping Jordan get into the England squad for the World Cup while remaining an elite Premier League midfielder. All of those targets were achieved.

“We also agreed that we would sit down after the World Cup and decide what the targets would be for both the club and Jordan in the second year of the contract. Following those conversations, it was clear that Jordan’s preference was to try something different in the final years of his playing career. We had always said to him that, should that be the case, we would not stand in his way.

“He therefore leaves after a very successful season, both personally and collectively, with the best wishes and gratitude of myself and everyone at Brentford.”

Henderson broke his left arm during England’s World Cup campaign - Mauro Pimentel/AFP

Henderson, who suffered a broken arm in a freak accident while on England duty during the World Cup, said: “Coming back to the Premier League was really important to me, and Brentford gave me that chance. I’ll always be thankful for that.

“I hope I was able to play my part in helping the team through an important period for the club. We achieved a lot together last season, and it’s something everyone involved should be proud of.”

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Source: “AOL Sports”