November 1st 2024.
Manchester United have made the decision to part ways with their manager, Erik ten Hag. Reports have emerged that Ten Hag was keen on bringing back former United striker, Danny Welbeck, before his departure from the Premier League club. Ten Hag's tenure at Old Trafford has been largely disappointing, and it came to an end after the team's 2-1 loss to West Ham on Sunday.
Ten Hag came to England with a stellar reputation, having won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax and leading the team to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. However, despite a promising first season at United where they finished third in the Premier League and won the EFL Cup, the team's performance declined in the following season, finishing in eighth place.
Despite signing a contract extension in the summer, the United owners decided to let Ten Hag go following a poor start to the 2024-25 campaign, leaving the team in 14th place in the table. One of the reasons for Ten Hag's desire to bring in a new striker was to support the young and talented Rasmus Hojlund. He had previously targeted Tottenham and England captain, Harry Kane, in the summer of 2023.
According to sources, Ten Hag saw Welbeck as an excellent addition to the team and United had seriously considered making a move for him. Welbeck, who joined United at the age of six, had made over 100 appearances for the club under Sir Alex Ferguson's successful reign. However, he was sold to Arsenal in 2014, and despite struggling with form and fitness, he has now become a key player for Brighton.
The decision to potentially re-sign Welbeck was met with caution by United due to the ongoing speculation surrounding Ten Hag's future and the team's struggles. Club legend Gary Neville had previously expressed his surprise at United's decision to let Welbeck go, stating that he should have been kept in the squad.
Following Ten Hag's departure, United are now under the guidance of interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who led the team to a 5-2 win against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup. However, the club is reportedly working on a deal to bring in Sporting Lisbon manager, Ruben Amorim, who is expected to take over later this month. In the meantime, Van Nistelrooy will remain in charge for the team's upcoming Premier League clash against Chelsea.
Former United player and legend, Rio Ferdinand, also expressed his shock at Welbeck's departure and praised his abilities on the pitch. He believes that Welbeck is a difficult player to face and also a great professional, making him a valuable asset to any team. Despite the disappointment of leaving United, Welbeck has continued to thrive at Brighton, proving his worth to the league.
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