It says everything about Danny Welbeck that senior figures at Brighton were convinced England should have taken the veteran striker to the World Cup as a back-up.
Forget about his age. Welbeck featured in 37 out of Brighton’s 38 Premier League games last season. His 13 goals put him joint-ninth in the list of top scorers, with only three Englishmen bettering that tally.
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Those statistics show him to still be a top forward.
Then there is his overall game – his ability to hold the ball up, bring team-mates into play or buy his defence some valuable time.
Finally, there is Welbeck’s presence behind the scenes. He is someone who drives standards, makes demands of team-mates; someone for younger players – of which Chelsea have plenty – to learn from.
Manchester United tried to bring him back to Old Trafford in the past but it did not quite work out. Welbeck is the kind of forward they need now.
But it is Chelsea who have acted first. One of the most surprising deals of the summer could turn out to be one of the most astute.
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