Gary Neville says Manchester United should ‘never’ have sold Danny Welbeck – but fellow Old Trafford legend Roy Keane disagrees.
Welbeck made 142 appearances for the Premier League giants after coming through the club’s academy and was a part of the last United team to win the title under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The England international decided to leave in 2014 after growing frustrated with his lack of game-time and joined Arsenal in a deal worth £16m.
Welbeck largely underwhelmed at the Emirates Stadium and was released by Arsenal in 2019 after scoring 32 goals in 126 appearances for the Gunners.
Another lacklustre season at Watford followed before Welbeck joined Brighton in 2020 where he has enjoyed four superb campaigns, chipping in with crucial goals while impressing with his all-round play.
Despite turning 34 next month, Welbeck is arguably in the best form of his career, having scored four goals in seven Premier League games this season.
Manchester United, by contrast, are struggling in front of goal and Neville believes it was a mistake for his former club to sell Welbeck a decade ago.
Erik ten Hag’s side have scored just five goals in seven games this term, a dismal run of form leaving United 14th in the Premier League table during the international break.
Reflecting on Welbeck’s superb start to the 2024-25 campaign, Keane joked on Stick to Football with Sky Bet: ‘Could he go back to United maybe?’
Neville replied: ‘He’s in better form than any of the United front players, by far. Danny Welbeck, to be fair, should never have been let go at United.’
But ex-Manchester United captain Keane then made his feelings clear on Welbeck’s departure, adding: ‘Oh, I don’t know about that Gary, we can’t keep saying that about players just because he left.’
