Friday 21 November 2014 11:31, UK
Arsene Wenger felt Danny Welbeck 'needed a chance' to prove he was a capable goalscorer away from Manchester United.
Arsenal paid United £16m for the 23-year-old at the end of the summer transfer window and he has repaid that show of faith with five goals in 12 games.
Welbeck has also scored five times for England this season and has become a key player for both his club and country.
I personally always respected Danny Welbeck and always believed he has a great future.
United boss Louis van Gaal’s decision to sell Welbeck, a Manchester-born player who had graduated through the club’s academy, was questioned by a number of fans but the Dutchman stands by the transfer, stating this week there was a ‘question mark’ over how regularly he would have played.
Wenger accepts Welbeck’s goalscoring record is not as strong as that of Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie but has been happy to give the forward the chance to revitalise his career with Arsenal.
“I personally always respected Danny Welbeck and always believed he has a great future,” said the Arsenal manager.
“What he has achieved in the past three months, for the England national team as well, has made him one of the main players for England and he proved that in the game against Scotland.
“You can take every challenge in a positive way and that’s what he did. I think you have to understand that Louis van Gaal also didn’t have Welbeck under his orders for a long time and you don’t always know the players that well after three or four weeks.
“Rooney and van Persie have an exceptional goalscoring record and in front of him he had two top-quality players with goalscoring records. What he needed was a chance.”
Welbeck’s place in the Arsenal team will come in for increased competition in the near future with Olivier Giroud fit again after recovering from a broken leg.
“Because he (Giroud) has a solid structure he heals very well and he has a positive mentality too,” said Wenger. “He is always positive and that helps as well.
“There is a always a fight to get into the team because we have a lot of offensive options. Danny Welbeck can play in a lot of different positions and there will be some room for both of them in some games.”
Watch Arsenal take on Manchester United live on Sky Sports 1 from 4.45pm this Saturday
