Chelsea have officially signed England midfielder Jordan Henderson on a two-year contract, with the 35-year-old set to join his new team-mates ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Henderson arrives at Stamford Bridge with eight major honours to his name, including the Premier League and Champions League titles won during a highly successful spell with Liverpool.
“Given the size of the club, the manager, who I have a great deal of admiration for, and the quality of the players, this was a huge opportunity that I could not turn down,” Henderson said in comments published on Chelsea’s official website.
“I have also been hugely impressed by how much the club’s owners want Chelsea to be successful and to move in the right direction.”
He added: “For me, it is about giving everything I have every day, on and off the pitch, to help the players around me and the team as much as possible. I am very excited to get started.”
Henderson began his professional career with his hometown club Sunderland. His first senior appearance came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November 2008, before a loan spell at Coventry City helped him establish himself in Sunderland’s first team.
He made 79 appearances for Sunderland and earned his England debut before moving to Liverpool in June 2011.
The midfielder quickly became an important member of the Liverpool squad and was appointed men’s captain in June 2015 following Steven Gerrard’s departure.
Liverpool enjoyed a sustained period of success with Henderson as captain. The club won the Champions League in 2019 before ending a 30-year wait for the Premier League title the following season.
Henderson also lifted the FA Cup, the League Cup twice, the Community Shield, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup during his time at Anfield.
He subsequently moved to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq, where he continued his career before later having spells with Ajax in the Netherlands and Brentford in west London.
The move to Chelsea brings Henderson back to English football and gives the London club an experienced international midfielder with a wealth of leadership experience.
At international level, Henderson has won 91 caps for England. He was part of the squad that finished runners-up at Euro 2020 and was also included in the team that finished third at the World Cup this summer.
Chelsea’s new signing will now link up with his squad-mates as preparations begin for the 2026-27 campaign. His arrival adds a player with Premier League, European and international experience to the club’s midfield options.
