Manchester United should not have sold Welbeck – Scholes

• Posted on September 5, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The former midfielder believes the England striker could have flourished at Old Trafford had he not been sold to rivals Arsenal on deadline day

Paul Scholes insists Manchester United have made a mistake by allowing Danny Welbeck to join Arsenal.

The England international completed his move to the FA Cup holders in the final moments of the transfer window with the Gunners paying €20 million for the 23-year-old, who will provide cover for Oliver Giroud who suffered an ankle injury last month that will keep him out for four months.

Welbeck’s position at Old Trafford was further undermined by the signing of Colombia superstar Radamel Falcao, also on deadline day, but Scholes believes Welbeck could still have played a significant role in United’s long-term future and that the Old Trafford giant’s loss will be the Gunners’ gain.

“Naturally, I was sad, as a United fan, to see Welbeck leave this week,” Scholes told the Independent. “My feeling was that if he could have got through this transfer window and stayed at the club he could have been a part of United’s future over the next few years.

“It shows how highly regarded Danny is that a club as big as Arsenal signed him. He will be a good signing for Arsene Wenger. Danny will never be a 20-25 goals-a-season man but he could get Arsenal 10 to 15.”

Despite Welbeck’s departure, Scholes is excited at the prospect of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Falcao terrorising defences this season, although he admits that, with only two spots for three players, Louis van Gaal faces a tough challenge to keep all of his superstar strikers happy.

He added: “When I watched Radamel Falcao play for Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco I saw a striker with excellent movement and a goalscoring record that is simply out of this world.

“At United, on loan for this season initially, Falcao creates competition in United’s forward line. There is no way that Louis van Gaal can play Rooney, Robin van Persie and Falcao together. It will have to be two from three and which two it is hard to say as yet.

“I don’t think the league title is realistic but Champions League football is the aim. Now it is over to Van Gaal to shape the team.”

-goal