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Gary Neville has expressed regret over Manchester United’s decision to sell Danny Welbeck a decade ago, during the early days of Louis van Gaal’s tenure as manager.
Welbeck had previously voiced his dissatisfaction with being played as a left winger at United, and after van Gaal took charge in 2014, the England international sought a transfer. That summer, Welbeck joined Arsenal following the arrival of Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco. Van Gaal justified the move, stating, “He played three seasons for the first team, but his record doesn’t compare to Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney. That’s the standard here.”
The former manager explained the club’s decision, saying, “We let him go because of Falcao, but also to create opportunities for younger players. That was the policy, and that’s why I’m here.”
Welbeck, now playing for Brighton, has earned praise for his performances this season, tallying four goals and one assist in seven appearances. This has sparked a debate about whether United was right to let him go, especially given their struggles to find a consistent striker in recent years.
On the Stick to Football podcast, Ian Wright remarked, “Danny Welbeck is doing a fantastic job now. I’m happy for him. We’ve seen games where he could have scored even more, but his overall contribution has been great.”
Neville chimed in, saying, “On Sunday, I commented that Welbeck is in better form than any of United’s current forwards. Honestly, Danny Welbeck should never have been let go. In a squad of 23 or 24, with five or six forwards, he should have been one of them. You’ve got to keep him.”
Neville also referenced other former United players doing well elsewhere: “McTominay is doing great at Napoli, Sancho is performing at Chelsea…”
Wayne Rooney, who also featured on the podcast and played alongside Welbeck at United, added, “One of Danny’s biggest strengths was his pressing game. He was quick, aggressive in winning the ball high up the pitch, and had a great touch. We had a strong connection playing together.”
However, Roy Keane offered a different perspective, cautioning against romanticizing former players. “I don’t know about that. You can’t always say that just because a player leaves and has a good career, they were right for Manchester United.”
Neville pushed back, suggesting that Welbeck could have filled a valuable role as a second striker, but emphasized, “Van Gaal wanted him out at the time.”
