Erik ten Hag wanted to re-sign former Man Utd striker before he was sacked

Erik 10 Hag reportedly wanted to re-sign erstwhile Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck earlier being sacked by the Premier League club.

Ten Hag’s mostly disappointing spell successful the Old Trafford hot-seat came to an extremity pursuing United’s 2-1 decision to West Ham connected Sunday.

The Dutchman arrived successful England with a large estimation having won 3 Eredivisie titles with Ajax and starring the squad to the Champions League semi-finals successful 2019, erstwhile they were minutes distant from reaching the final.

Ten Hag enjoyed a promising archetypal play astatine the Theatre of Dreams arsenic United finished 3rd successful the Premier League and won the EFL Cup, the club’s archetypal trophy successful six years.

Manchester United besides collected silverware nether Ten Hag past play – beating Manchester City successful the last to assistance the FA Cup – but the squad finished conscionable eighth successful the Premier League, their lowest presumption since 1990.

Ten Hag signed a declaration hold implicit the summer but the United owners inactive decided to extremity his tenure pursuing a mediocre commencement to the 2024-25 campaign, which has near the Red Devils 14th successful the table.

Having targeted Tottenham and England skipper Harry Kane successful the summertime of 2023, Ten Hag again looked to bring successful a caller striker past summertime to enactment the talented but earthy Rasmus Hojlund.

The Athletic accidental Ten Hag viewed erstwhile Manchester United striker Welbeck arsenic an ‘excellent addition’ and assertion the Premier League giants gave ‘serious thought’ astir a move.

Welbeck archetypal joined United astatine the property of six and went connected to marque much than 100 appearances for the nine successful the second stages of Sir Alex Ferguson’s agelong and palmy reign.

Ex-Old Trafford brag Louis van Gaal enactment Welbeck up for merchantability soon aft Fergie retired and helium joined Premier League rivals Arsenal successful a woody worthy £16m.

While Welbeck struggled with signifier and fittingness astatine the Emirates Stadium, helium has emerged arsenic a cardinal subordinate for Brighton implicit the past 5 seasons, scoring six goals successful 9 league games this term.

A determination to re-sign Welbeck was discussed but Manchester United were ‘cautious’ owed to the ongoing speculation implicit Ten Hag’s aboriginal and the team’s wide struggles.

Earlier successful the season, nine fable Gary Neville said United should ‘never’ person sold Welbeck.

‘He’s successful amended signifier than immoderate of the United beforehand players, by far,’ helium said connected The Overlap. ‘Danny Welbeck, to beryllium fair, should ne'er person been fto spell astatine United.

‘If you’ve got a squad of 24, 23, and you privation to support 5 oregon six strikers, he’s got to beryllium 1 of those. You’ve got to support him.’

Welbeck helped Brighton bushed Manchester United earlier successful the play and aft the clash connected the southbound coast, Rio Ferdinand besides expressed his daze astatine his departure from Old Trafford.

‘Nothing surprises maine with Danny Welbeck,’ the Old Trafford fable said erstwhile asked astir his erstwhile team-mate’s credentials.

‘I watched him arsenic a young kid astatine Manchester United and helium was a fantastic player.

‘I couldn’t judge it erstwhile United agreed to fto him spell due to the fact that I thought helium had truthful overmuch value, not lone arsenic a subordinate but conscionable astir the spot arsenic good arsenic a erstwhile academy player.

‘I deliberation he’s idiosyncratic who players who person played against him respect much than immoderate fans who don’t rather realise however hard helium is to play against. He’s a large nonrecreational too.’

Manchester United’s post-Ten Hag epoch began connected Wednesday nighttime arsenic they thumped Leicester City 5-2 successful the Carabao Cup nether interim brag Ruud van Nistelrooy.

United are working connected a woody for Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim but the 39-year-old is expected to get astatine Old Trafford aboriginal successful the month, meaning Van Nistelrooy should inactive beryllium successful complaint for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea.

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