Arsenal Set To Let 27 Y/O Forward Leave This Summer: Right Move For All Parties Involved?

Danny Welbeck’s stint at Arsenal could come to an end soon as Unai Emery is looking to cut down the squad size before the start of the upcoming season. The Englishman is set to enter the final year of his contract and it will be hard for Welbeck to get regular playing time under Emery.

Last season, he did make 43 appearances in all competitions and was a crucial player in Arsene Wenger’s setup. However, Welbeck was often used down the left wing as Arsenal didn’t have any outright winger in their squad apart from Alex Iwobi. It is expected that the Gunners will look to buy a few more players in the transfer market after they secured the signings of Stephan Lichsteiner, Bernd Leno and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Signing a winger will certainly be on top of Emery’s list.

Welbeck managed 10 goals in all competitions and that was enough for Gareth Southgate to pick him up for the England World Cup squad. However, he made just one appearance from the bench in Russia. Emery will look to build the team around the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil and it seems Welbeck is not in the same bracket as them.

The Englishman offers little when he plays down the wings. He is known for his work rate but usually lets the team down when he finds himself in good positions. Welbeck has scored just 27 goals across four seasons for Arsenal, playing most of it upfront in the centre-forward role. He was deemed to not be good enough to lead Arsenal’s line and as a result, the Gunners went on to sign the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang.

It is yet not clear whether the 27-year-old will leave this summer or not. However, quite a few Premier League clubs might be interested in making a move for him. He is a versatile player and usually gives his all on the pitch but his finishing skills sometimes let him down. His positioning also leaves a lot to be desired and he is more suited to play as a secondary striker for the team instead of leading the line alone

With him entering into the last year of his contract, Arsenal should look to cash in on him instead of losing him for free. It is also likely that he will not get much game time if Emery goes in the transfer market and signs an outright winger. So a move away will be good for all the parties involved.