It has been revealed that Manchester United explored the possibilities of bringing Danny Welbeck back to Old Trafford, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused the transfer.
The summer transfer window is over – for the most part, as Turkish and Saudi Arabian clubs have over a week left- and Manchester United were very busy, especially in the final days of the summer.
Rúben Amorim needed a significant turnover in first-team players after the dismal 15th-place finish in the Premier League last campaign, and he has been granted his wishes, or most of them.
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have already hit the ground running for the Red Devils, while Benjamin Šeško has been promising in his cameos from the bench. Diego Leon is yet to make a competitive appearance, but impressed in pre-season.
The four first-team incomers replaced the outgoing “Bomb Squad” – Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho – but Tyrell Malacia, who was also named as an outcast from the start of the summer, remains at the club for the time being.
While Amorim has finally got his goalkeeper in Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, United failed to sign a midfielder despite clear interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.
Ratcliffe’s thinking behind Welbeck rejection
At the beginning of the transfer window, Jason Wilcox made the decision to prioritise signing a striker over a midfielder, after United’s poor season in front of goal last year.
The first target was Liam Delap, but the Red Devils missed out on the English striker due to their loss in the Europa League Final; the former Ipswich Town centre forward wanted to play Champions League football.
With no obvious next target, Wilcox looked at signing a “secondary striker” – as per The Athletic – and Danny Welbeck was one of the favourites for that role after his impressive season for Brighton, and interest from United during Erik ten Hag’s tenure.
However, while Wilcox considered offering Welbeck a two-year contract until 2027, Sir Jim Ratcliffe felt that he couldn’t offer a deal over one year for a 35-year-old, unless it was a one-year contract with an option for another.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was another option discussed by the United transfer team, but Leeds United offered him a contract before Wilcox decided whether he could be a good deputy to a new centre forward, or Rasmus Hojlund.
Welbeck wasn’t needed at Old Trafford
While the idea of bringing Welbeck back to Old Trafford is a nice one in theory, he really isn’t necessary with the wealth of centre forward options Amorim has at his disposal, including young Chido Obi.
When Welbeck was being considered, Hojlund was still at the club and Šeško hadn’t yet been signed, but the Brighton striker wasn’t thought of as someone who would lead the line week in week out. He may have been behind Joshua Zirkzee in the pecking order.
Therefore, Welbeck would be the third-choice striker for a team that is only competing in the Premier League and the FA Cup, and one that doesn’t have another midweek fixture until December.
With Obi and Gabriele Biancheri in the under-21s, and Cunha and Mbeumo in the first team, Amorim has plenty of striker options if necessary. Kobbie Mainoo could even lead the line, as he did on a few occasions last season. United made the right choice by not signing Welbeck.
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