Erik ten Hag believed former Man Utd striker Danny Welbeck would be an “excellent addition” and pushed for him to sign from Brighton in the summer, according to a report.

Man Utd sacked Ten Hag on Monday And Agreement reportedly reached to appoint Ruben Amorim from Sporting as their new head coach.

Amorim could take charge of the Red Devils’ Premier League match at home to Chelsea on Sunday. However, there are some problems to be overcome regarding the 39-year-old player’s ‘notice period’ in Lisbon.

Ten Hag left the club this season in 14th place in the Premier League and winless in the Europa League. Manchester Utd They will face Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy will take temporary charge of this match.

The Dutchman made some questionable transfers during his time at Old Trafford and brought in many of the players he had coached at Ajax. Including Lisandro Martinez and Antony.

Man Utd: Ten Hag wanted to sign Welbeck in summer

And in a huge piece AthleticIt has been revealed that Ten Hag wants Man Utd to add Brighton striker Welbeck to its squad during the summer transfer window.

Welbeck played for the Red Devils between 2001 and 2014, making his first-team debut against Sunderland in April 2006.

The player, who achieved excellent form with Brighton under the management of Fabian Hurzeler, scored six goals in nine Premier League matches in the 2024/25 season.

If the signature had taken place, it would have raised suspicion, but Ten Witches The experienced striker’s performance this season proved this.

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As a matter of fact, the Dutchman wanted ‘an experienced Premier League striker to share the load’ with young striker Rasmus Hojlund and wanted Harry Kane in 2023 and Welbeck this year.

There was ‘serious consideration’ of signing the 33-year-old but this never materialized and Welbeck was stated to want to stay on the south coast if an offer was made to Brighton.

The report explains:

Ten Hag was enthusiastic about both signings (young forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee) in Hojlund, but also wanted an experienced Premier League striker to share the load in each summer.

Last year the target was Tottenham’s Harry Kane, who went to Bayern Munich. In 2024, it emerged that Ten Hag thought Brighton’s United son Danny Welbeck would be an excellent addition. Towards the end of last season, as United were considering how to replace Martial, Welbeck’s name was discussed internally and people at the club seriously considered making an offer for him.

Ten Hag was a key voice of support after Welbeck made a lasting impression with his performance at Old Trafford in the Dutchman’s first Premier League match in August 2022, which Brighton won 2-1 under Graham Potter. Welbeck scored Brighton’s first goal when he delivered a measured cross to Pascal Gross and troubled United by running beyond the back line.

Welbeck continued his good form against United, scoring the opening goal of Brighton’s 3-1 win at Old Trafford in September 2023, finishing by coming into the box for the first time after being twice involved in the build-up to the move.

He was already 33 when his name came up in recruitment discussions at United, but Welbeck was out of contract at Brighton and heading towards free agency, so would have cost nothing in the way of a transfer fee. His great experience was considered a positive for the locker room. He is known to live the life of an athlete and is among the top performers at Brighton in physical tests.

However, no concrete offer for Welbeck to return to his boyhood club materialised. Ten Hag’s job was uncertain at that stage and so United were cautious about committing to a transfer under his management…

Regardless of United’s interest last summer, Welbeck signaled his intention to stay at Brighton and happily re-signed after being offered a new two-year deal shortly after the January transfer window closed.

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