Welbeck and Henderson joining Chelsea would be another sign of a shift in strategy this summer.

Their move for the duo follows attempts to sign 33-year-old midfielder Granit Xhaka from Sunderland, with the Black Cats refusing to sell the Switzerland captain.

Although the arrival of Rogers, 23, fits the club’s preferred policy of signing younger players, he brings significant Premier League experience.

The Blues are also expected to complete a £52m move for Crystal Palace defender Lacroix, 26, to add further Premier League-ready experience.

However, Welbeck’s arrival would leave Chelsea with an abundance of attacking options despite not being involved in European competition.

At his age, Welbeck may be content to provide cover for Joao Pedro, but the move would represent bad news for several other forwards.

Jackson is open to leaving, while Delap and Emegha had hoped to establish themselves under Alonso.

Nevertheless, the Chelsea manager is getting what he wants: experience and strong personalities to address shortcomings that contributed to the team’s 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season.