Erik ten Hag reportedly wanted to re-sign former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck before being sacked by the Premier League club.
Ten Hag’s largely disappointing spell in the Old Trafford hot-seat came to an end following United’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.
The Dutchman arrived in England with a big reputation having won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and leading the team to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, when they were minutes away from reaching the final.
Ten Hag enjoyed a promising first season at the Theatre of Dreams as United finished third in the Premier League and won the EFL Cup, the club’s first trophy in six years.
Manchester United also collected silverware under Ten Hag last season – beating Manchester City in the final to lift the FA Cup – but the team finished just eighth in the Premier League, their lowest position since 1990.
Ten Hag signed a contract extension over the summer but the United owners still decided to end his tenure following a poor start to the 2024-25 campaign, which has left the Red Devils 14th in the table.
Having targeted Tottenham and England captain Harry Kane in the summer of 2023, Ten Hag again looked to bring in a new striker last summer to support the talented but raw Rasmus Hojlund.
The Athletic say Ten Hag viewed former Manchester United striker Welbeck as an ‘excellent addition’ and claim the Premier League giants gave ‘serious thought’ about a move.
Welbeck first joined United at the age of six and went on to make more than 100 appearances for the club in the latter stages of Sir Alex Ferguson’s long and successful reign.
Ex-Old Trafford boss Louis van Gaal put Welbeck up for sale shortly after Fergie retired and he joined Premier League rivals Arsenal in a deal worth £16m.
While Welbeck struggled with form and fitness at the Emirates Stadium, he has emerged as a key player for Brighton over the past five seasons, scoring six goals in nine league games this term.
A move to re-sign Welbeck was discussed but Manchester United were ‘cautious’ due to the ongoing speculation over Ten Hag’s future and the team’s general struggles.
Earlier in the season, club legend Gary Neville said United should ‘never’ have sold Welbeck.
‘He’s in better form than any of the United front players, by far,’ he said on The Overlap. ‘Danny Welbeck, to be fair, should never have been let go at United.
‘If you’ve got a squad of 24, 23, and you want to keep five or six strikers, he’s got to be one of those. You’ve got to keep him.’
Welbeck helped Brighton beat Manchester United earlier in the season and after the clash on the south coast, Rio Ferdinand also expressed his shock at his departure from Old Trafford.
‘Nothing surprises me with Danny Welbeck,’ the Old Trafford legend said when asked about his former team-mate’s credentials.
‘I watched him as a young kid at Manchester United and he was a wonderful player.
‘I couldn’t believe it when United agreed to let him go because I thought he had so much value, not only as a player but just around the place as well as a former academy player.
‘I think he’s someone who players who have played against him respect more than some fans who don’t quite realise how difficult he is to play against. He’s a great professional too.’
Manchester United’s post-Ten Hag era began on Wednesday night as they thumped Leicester City 5-2 in the Carabao Cup under interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy.
United are working on a deal for Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim but the 39-year-old is expected to arrive at Old Trafford later in the month, meaning Van Nistelrooy should still be in charge for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea.
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