Newcastle United Opinion: Why Benitez should avoid signing Danny Welbeck

According to a report from Chronicle Live, Newcastle United are interested in signing Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck in the summer.

Danny Welbeck, 28, joined Arsenal from Manchester United back in summer 2014. But he is out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the season and is not expected to get a new deal from Arsenal.

The Englishman has failed to nail down a regular place at Arsenal since joining from United and hasn’t played since November due to a serious ankle injury. But his availability on a free transfer in the summer perhaps is the main reason why Newcastle are interested in signing him.

Rafael Benitez has masterminded Newcastle to safety for the second season running in the Premier League. The Spanish tactician has done miracles operating on a shoestring budget in Tyneside but Newcastle owner Mike Ashley needs to back his manager fully in the summer transfer window. But first, Ashley needs to persuade Benitez in committing his future at St. James’ Park.

Once Benitez signs a new deal at the club, he needs to be handed a decent transfer kitty to take the Magpies forward. And one area the Spanish manager should prioritise strengthening is the forward department. Signing a prolific goalscorer is a must if the Toons are to aim for a top-8 finish next season.

To that end, signing Danny Welbeck would be a mistake for Newcastle. In the last five years, he has managed to score just 16 Premier League goals. One could argue that the 28-year-old has often played second fiddle at Arsenal but the matter of fact is 16 goals in five years is a very low return. Plus persistent injury problems have also played a part in ruining his once-promising career.

Welbeck broke his ankle in the Europa League game with Sporting CP in November, and he is unlikely to play again this season as a result. He may be versatile enough to play across the front line and provide fine cover, but the former Manchester United man would hardly be an upgrade over Newcastle’s current attacking options.

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Furthermore, the Englishman’s injuries in recent years definitely make him a risky proposition for any team, including Newcastle.

Verdict

From Newcastle’s perspective, they can definitely do a lot better than swooping in for Welbeck, who has had rotten luck with injuries. The 28-year-old, perhaps, still has some of his best years ahead of him but the Magpies simply must avoid taking a punt on him.