Striker admits English contingency made move easy decision
Arsenal star Danny Welbeck has admitted that the English players at the Emirates Stadium made his decision to join the club from Manchester United an easy one.
The England international shocked the footballing world when he left his boy-hood club United for Arsenal back in the summer of 2014, after making 142 appearances for the Red Devils.
The 24-year-old was told by Louis van Gaal that he wasn’t good enough for his United side, so he left the club and joined long-term rivals Arsenal for just ÂŁ16million.
Since arriving in North London, Welbeck has become a fan favourite, especially after knocking out his former club in the FA Cup last year at Old Trafford.
However, Welbeck hasn’t featured since then due to injury, but speaking in a recent interview, he’s revealed how easy his move was from United to Arsenal.
Welbeck Opens Up
“It was a new challenge but it was an exciting time for me to approach a new situation, move from Manchester to London and all of the stuff that goes with it,” he told Arsenal’s official website.
“Knowing the England boys from international duty and growing up with them in the youth teams made it easy. They integrate you into the group a lot easier with the other lads as well.
“It was a whole new city, not completely new as I’d been to London before, but it was weird knowing that I was going to be calling London home and not Manchester.
“The thing that you miss the most is your family and that’s the most important thing. A lot of my family and friends do come to London to see me anyway. They come to all the home games so I get to see them quite a lot anyway.
“But I was leaving something that I knew after growing up in Manchester, coming to a new city, it’s an exciting period.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt