Euro giants eye Arsenal 26-year-old, willing to match what Gunners paid – report
By Will Butcher
Galatasaray have made initial moves to sign Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck this summer in a move worth £16million, according to a report.
The Daily Mail claim Welbeck could be set to leave the Gunners in the upcoming transfer window as Arsene Wenger’s future remains in doubt, with Galatasaray looking to profit.
It is believed that the 26-year-old forward is one of two transfer targets for the Turkish giants, with Tottenham striker Vincent Janssen also on the Superlig outfit’s shortlist.
However, the report claims Galatasaray’s interest could be in vain as Welbeck is unlikely to move to Turkey with the political environment in a rather volatile state.
Welbeck has been in and out of the Gunners side since returning from a long-term knee injury in January, with competition aplenty in Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Lucas Perez.
Since his return, the former Manchester United striker and England international has scored four goals in 16 league and cup appearances as well as laying on two assists.
With a contract at the Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2019, Welbeck could be tempted to jump ship with the lure of consistent first-team football elsewhere.
The £16million Galatasaray is willing to pay would match the price Arsenal stumped up for Welbeck when they signed him from Man United in 2014.
Football Insider verdict:
With only a handful of British players opting to leave the Premier League in recent years, Welbeck would probably thrive by joining the Turkish outfit and reignite his chances of gaining a place back in Gareth Southgate’s England squad. Goalkeeper Joe Hart has retained his place between the sticks as Southgate’s number one when it looked like he could lose his place after a disastrous Euro 2016 campaign, and Welbeck could look to emulate that. Welbeck is unlikely to be made the Gunners first-choice striker next season with competition likely to be added to, and that should see him leave in order to gain regular action. We doubt Turkey will be top of his wishlist though.
In other Arsenal transfer news, Wenger is a huge admirer of this Champions League wing wizard.
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