Manchester United's striker issues will need to be address during the summer transfer window after deciding not to sign reinforcements in January
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Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville
(Image: Sky Sports)
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville insists that Brighton and Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck could still do a job for the Reds if he were to return to Old Trafford.
Welbeck joined United as a youth player and after loan spells at Preston North End and Sunderland, he made his mark in the first team. In 142 appearances for the club, Welbeck bagged 29 goals and 16 assists before being sold to Arsenal for £16m.
Since leaving United, Welbeck, who still has a year and a half remaining on his contract at Brighton, has become somewhat of a bad omen for the Reds, scoring six goals in 17 appearances against them. Now at Brighton, the forward is a regular starter, providing much-needed experience to the Seagulls' frontline.
On Friday night, the striker bagged himself two assists as Chelsea were thrashed 3-0 on the South Coast by Fabian Hurzeler's men. Speaking after the full-time whistle on Sky Sports, Neville was insistent that United were too quick to let Welbeck go in 2014 and will now be rueing that decision.
"He was let go too quickly at United, because if you think about Louis van Gaal, his style is very precise, and Danny wasn’t in his game back then so he just let him go," the former defender explained. "But he’s almost perfect for how Manchester United should play, threatening space in behind and playing off front players.
Danny Welbeck in action for Brighton and Hove Albion
Danny Welbeck in action for Brighton and Hove Albion
"This idea that he’s not good enough for Manchester United is absolutely rubbish. He’s good enough to be in a pool of three or four strikers.
"Sometimes we tag these players with ‘oh he’s not good enough’… no he is, to be part of a 20-man squad at a top club, he can still play at the very top level. He’s destroying defences, he’s torn [Levi] Colwill and [Trevoh] Chalobah to shreds."