Tottenham Lines Up Manchester United Outcast

Wikimedia - Matt Boulton

Tottenham are interested in signing Man United & England striker Danny Welbeck on a one-year loan. Reports from many sources, such as Sky Sports and The Daily Mail, came after the striker was told he wasn’t in first team contention at Man United, but also said that they didn’t want to sell him on a permanent basis. The striker said he wanted regular football and after Wenger denying reports he was on his way to Arsenal, rivals Tottenham lead the race to secure his signature.

The signing would make Welbeck the 6th player to join the North London club this summer, and it looks like there is a good chance of the deal going through, after Pochettino personally scouted him at Man United’s 4-0 loss to Mk Dons in the League Cup. He is open to making more signings, even though they have a squad of 32, which is probably more than he would like, but too many players is a problem most managers wouldn’t mind having.

Versatilty

At Man United, Van Persie, Rooney and occasionally Hernandez are preferred to Welbeck in attack, which has led to him falling down the pecking order at the club. When he does play, he is often played on the wing, which is not his preferred position. He plays well when he plays on the wing, but he isn’t playing to his full potential and doesn’t score as often as a striker should, as his record proves. He has only netted 10 times in the past 2 seasons.

At Tottenham, I see him fighting for the lone striker role in their 4-2-3-1 formation, along with Adebayor and Soldado. He will get opportunities in the team in this position, as Soldado hasn’t been in good form whatsoever since his move to the club, so I think he will challenge Adebayor for a regular spot. He can cover on the wings, which shows his versatility as a player, as he can threaten in that position too. He shows versatility when he plays as a striker too, as he can play different roles. He can play as a target man, which he has showed us on many occasions. He can hold up the ball well and is strong in the air.

Also, we have seen glimpses of his pure goal scoring ability at United, but we are yet to see it on a regular basis. He also has a lot of pace, which can trouble defences by running in behind them and getting into dangerous areas.

A Point To Prove?

This loan move could be crucial for Welbeck, as there is a lot of room for improvement for him. He has yet to establish himself in the Premier League as a top striker, which he has the potential to be. There are plenty of critics to be proved wrong, and I think that with the regular game time he could be getting, it will help him develop hugely as a player and will bring the best out of him.

Transfer Review

The rumours, come from The Daily Mail and Sky Sports which are trusty sources. Also, Pochettino going to the Man United game, strongly suggests that this rumour could well be true. Now that Arsenal have pulled out, Spurs are favourites to seal the deal. He is also wanted by Newcastle, Hull and Sunderland, but Spurs appears to be his preferred destination. I give it a rumour strength of 7 out of 10.

The addition of Welbeck to the squad, will add depth to Tottenham’s attacking options, as well as giving competition to the current strikers in the team, which could bring the best out of them too. Also, It gives the team another option with his pace. I think he will finally find his form and prove his critics wrong which will improve the team.

Welbeck will be desperate to get out of Old Trafford. After being told he won’t get regular football, that is exactly what he will want, and he will get it at Spurs. They will also want more options and depth in attack, so will be more than happy to take him on loan.