The call for Danny Welbeck’s return to the England squad as short as three years ago would have sounded totally ludicrous, yet today it seems a real possibility. The Brighton striker is less than a month off from his 35th birthday, but as the adage goes, age is just a number.
Welbeck continues to age like fine wine, with his goals showing no sign of drying up, and rightly so, seven years on, he deservedly faces the possibility of walking through the doors at St George’s Park once more.
Currently sitting joint-second in the Premier League golden boot race, behind Erling Haaland in a league of his own, Welbeck has flown out the gates at the start of this season, bagging six goals in his last five appearances, continuing his already impressive form off the back of last campaign’s career high of 10.
The stars may have aligned for Welbeck to make his return to international football. His good form comes at a time when Ollie Watkins and Liam Delap are both out of form, whilst Dominic Solanke remains sidelined through injury. But until Friday’s squad announcement, the veteran forward will be forced to wait by his phone for the call from Thomas Tuchel.
Having enjoyed a rich and promising early career in the Premier League with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal, Welbeck’s ceiling always looked high. But it can be said that he never really hit those heights during what was expected to be his prime years, largely due to injury.
But this resurrection of form has arrived at a time where Tuchel’s striker selection runs thin, and the possibility of being recalled seven years on from his last appearance in the white strip grows ever more likely with each goal he buries.
The last time we saw Brighton’s talisman in action for the Three Lions was on the 11th of September 2018, when he was still with Arsenal. Eric Dier led out Gareth Southgate’s England side under the King Power Stadium lights as they faced Switzerland in what unfolded to be a rather forgettable friendly. It was Welbeck’s 42nd appearance for his country, having been involved in the England set-up since 2011.
Marcus Rashford’s 54th-minute volley saved England on the night after a rather incoherent display. Despite starting the game, Welbeck was unable to add to his international goal tally of 16, ultimately being subbed off in the 61st minute for Harry Kane, who, ironically, he will have to battle to replace up top if he receives a call-up.
The poor display from England had left tensions high at the half as Southgate’s side had shown little sign of breaking the deadlock, despite proving a force to be reckoned with at the 2018 World Cup just a few months prior.
Speaking at full-time, Danny Rose revealed to The Guardian that players had words with each other at half-time, saying: “It was a bit embarrassing. We could have been two or three down. It’s great we can all shout at each other and tell each other it’s not good enough. The second half wasn’t amazing but it was better than the first.”
Southgate also touched on the fiery nature of those conversations at the interval, adding: “The players certainly had a lot to say to each other when they first got into the dressing room.” So perhaps it wasn’t the fondest send-off for Welbeck, who started the game that evening.
Alongside Welbeck that night appeared Jack Butland, Danny Rose, James Tarkowski, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fabian Delph, company that seem to be long gone from the set-up. Although previously many would have also included the Brighton striker in the list of stars who have enjoyed their final cap, his reinvolvement is now a real possibility.
In the seven years that have followed that dull night in Leicester, the Three Lions have grown from strength to strength, with some of Europe’s strongest talents coming through. A return for Welbeck would therefore see him rejoin a largely unfamiliar camp, but one that it is not unachievable for the inform striker to break into on a regular basis.