Arsenal attacker Danny Welbeck is subject to interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray
According to Simon Jones of Mail Online, Galatasaray are poised to launch a £16 million bid for former Manchester United and current Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck, hoping to snap him up before the start of next season.
The Englishman moved to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2014 after he was deemed surplus to requirements by then Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal for the same amount that Galatasaray are willing to offer the Gunners.
Due to a number of injury concerns, Welbeck has failed to nail down a permanent spot in Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven, and could consider a move away to play first-team football week in and week out.
Also, uncertainty is looming over the future of Wenger, as the Frenchman has been linked with an exit since the turn of the year. Thus, Welbeck is considering his options, and may have second thoughts before moving to Turkey, particularly due to the unrest in the country.
If Wenger stays on, as he is expected to, Welbeck may also remain at the club and will hope to fight for a place in starting eleven. The Englishman was ruled out for several months with a knee injury, before he returned to the fray in January.
Since then, the 26-year-old has been used sparingly by the manager, who has often used him as an impact substitute in the latter stages of the matches. However, to the amusement of many, he started against his former employers Manchester United last Sunday.
The pressure was taking its toll and it was a must win for both teams as they were challenging for a top four finish, and it was Arsenal that came out on top. The Gunners won by a 2-0 scoreline and Welbeck was the one who grabbed their second goal.
The 26-year-old proved that he is a force to be reckoned with on his day, and gave Wenger a pleasing selection dilemma. Olivier Giroud has not been in good form this season, and Welbeck does seem like a preferable alternative to the Frenchman.
Welbeck also started in Wednesday’s win over Southampton and was substituted in the 80th minute for Giroud who grabbed a goal three minutes after coming on.
Thus, Wenger is expected to rotate between Welbeck and Giroud until the end of the season, and is unlikely to let go of the Englishman. The French manager admitted that Lucas Perez could leave the club, which would see him holding on to his other attacking options.
