‘i Love Him’—wayne Rooney Names Surprising Striker Man Utd Should Have Signed

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Wayne Rooney has admitted he wanted to spot Manchester United re-sign Danny Welbeck erstwhile nan nine was connected nan hunt for a caller striker complete nan past fewer seasons.

United spent large connected Rasmus Højlund successful 2023 but person consistently been searching for a reliable root of goals ever since. Joshua Zirkzee was recruited from Bologna successful 2024 earlier this past summer’s big-money acquisition of Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig.

Højlund has since departed connected indebtedness and Zirkzee is expected to travel suit successful January aft failing to unrecorded up to expectations astatine Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Welbeck has continued to nutrient astatine a dependable complaint pinch Brighton & Hove Albion.

After putting erstwhile wounded problems down him, Welbeck went connected to people 10 Premier League goals for Brighton in 2024–25—the champion tally of his profession to date—and has started 2025–26 by already netting six times successful 10 convention games. His day later this period will beryllium his 35th.

United were acutely alert of nan exploits of their erstwhile academy gem. According to The Athletic, Welbeck was a tentative target successful nan summertime of 2024, pinch liking driven chiefly by erstwhile head Erik 10 Hag. No connection materialised because nan nine was unwilling to perpetrate to 1 of nan Dutchman’s targets erstwhile his occupation was uncertain astatine that stage. Welbeck past signed a caller two-year Brighton deal, yet leaving Rooney disappointed.

“I’m stoked, he’s been connected fire,” Rooney said connected his self-titled BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show.

Danny Welbeck is successful nan champion goalscoring shape of his profession astatine nan property of 34. / Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

“I perfectly emotion Daniel, I emotion him,” nan erstwhile United skipper added of his ex-colleague—Rooney was astir to spot a teenage Welbeck’s emergence successful nan first-team successful 2008 and played alongside him for 5 afloat seasons until a astonishing 2014 transportation to Arsenal.

“He’s been specified a bully subordinate successful nan Premier League. Manchester United should person brought him backmost because he scores goals and he useful hard,” Rooney continued.

“I deliberation complete nan past mates of years I would person really person liked to person him back. I deliberation now United are going a different measurement and person hopefully turned a corner. But I would person wanted him backmost complete nan past fewer years. He seems settled astatine Brighton truthful I conscionable dream he keeps scoring goals and hopefully gives himself nan champion chance imaginable to get backmost successful nan England squad.”

Danny Welbeck, Wayne Rooney observe a Man Utd goal.

Rooney enjoyed playing alongside Welbeck astatine Man Utd. / ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

United’s deficiency of attacking firepower was horribly exposed successful 2024–25, pinch Højlund starting nan play injured aft a promising debut run and later near bereft of confidence. Zirkzee scored a winning extremity connected his Premier League debut but took clip to adapt, and precious small striker extent meant a deficiency of goals was nan superior facet down a worst convention decorativeness successful 51 years.

The nine took measures to reside that coming into this season, spending conscionable complete £200 cardinal ($262.7 million) mixed connected Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Šeško, who person collectively contributed 10 goals and assists crossed each competitions truthful far. Mbeumo is nan team’s wide apical scorer pinch 5 goals to his sanction (four successful nan Premier League) and is seeking to go nan first United subordinate to nett 20 times successful a convention season since Robin van Persie successful 2012–13.