As deadline day approached, we can all be forgiven for thinking something big would happen. After all, this was the summer that we signed Alexis Sanchez and it was exactly a year since the arrival of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid. Huge names were mentioned- Radamel Falcao, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Marco Reus… In the end, it was Danny Welbeck. A big deal? You bet.
Although Welbeck isn’t the worldwide household name we were all dreaming of, he is the perfect signing for Arsenal. In ideal circumstances we were looking for a proven goalscorer, with European and Premier League experience that can lead the line in the absence of Olivier Giroud. Danny Welbeck ticks every single one of those boxes.
Rio Ferdinand sums things up perfectly, as he said that if Arsenal give him the chance to lead the line, which we will do, Danny Welbeck will explode. With Wayne Rooney and the man who shall not be named at Old Trafford, Welbeck was always pushed into other areas and asked to do jobs that it wasn’t particularly natural at doing- but he obliged.
Through the middle, Welbeck can be the prolific goalscorer we need. He will thrive being the focal member of the attack, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez helping him. I will be extremely surprised if Welbeck doesn’t finish as our highest goalscorer this season, both due to his ability and the fact that he will well and truly be the main man.
Read: Welbeck ‘I’ve thought about Arsenal move for some time’
At 23, Welbeck already has experience at the peak of international football. He’s an established member of the England squad and will remain that way throughout his time at Arsenal. The fact we’ve signed him down to a five-year deal says it all, Welbeck is a player for now as much as he is for the future.
Welbeck can be the man to lead the Arsenal attack for years and he can play alongside Giroud when the Frenchman returns from his injury, as apposed to other supposed targets that would have come in as a replacement- leaving us with one or the other once all were fit, which is great for competition and squad depth but not so much for keeping everyone happy.
What Welbeck offers is different to the rest of the attackers in our squad, as he can fit a number of roles. Welbeck will happily play as the main man in the attack but is also happy to drop in when required, which would make him the perfect strike partner with Giroud. He can also play on the wing, which we shouldn’t need, but his versatility is a real bonus.
Read: Twitter reacts as Danny Welbeck joins Arsenal
Welbeck gets a lot of criticism but it seems the majority of this is due to the fact that he has not yet been given a real chance in his favoured position- something we Arsenal fans can relate to, given the stick Mesut Ozil gets despite being deployed on the left. If you have any concerns about the signing of Welbeck, just take a look at the responses Manchester United fans are giving to losing him.
He fixes the now, he’s there for the future. It’s not a panic buy, it’s assessing the market and picking out the perfect candidate available. Welbeck will excel at Arsenal- he could definitely be the striker to take us to the next level.