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September 12, 2014

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Neville puzzled by Welbeck’s move, Giggs backs van Gaal

DANNY Welbeck’s former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville yesterday expressed incredulity over the club’s decision to sell the England forward to rival Arsenal for a relatively low fee.

Welbeck joined Arsenal on transfer deadline day in a £16 million (US$26.6 million) deal and is in line to make his debut for his new club against Manchester City tomorrow.

“I can’t work it out,” Neville, now a television pundit and member of England manager Roy Hodgson’s back-room staff, told talkSPORT radio station.

“After all the prices I’ve seen paid this summer, and obviously I’ve been working with him the last week, I’m thinking how is it just £16 million?

“It really does feel strange that it’s a center-forward and actually it’s helped out a competitor, someone who will be vying for those third and fourth places with United this season,” Neville said.

Figures associated with United have expressed dismay over the club’s decision to sell a young home-grown player such as Welbeck, with former assistant manager Mike Phelan claiming their identity had been “broken.”

But current assistant manager Ryan Giggs has insisted that United will never betray their commitment to giving young players a chance.

“The club will never change,” he said at the Soccerex conference in Manchester. “The history of the club is to play exciting football, always give youngsters a chance, keep to the traditions of the club.

“OK, Danny has left, which is obviously disappointing, because you never want to see a home-grown player leave, but this is a manager (Louis van Gaal) who gave (Clarence) Seedorf his chance, (Patrick) Kluivert his chance, (Andres) Iniesta his chance, Xavi, Thomas Muller. He has got a track record of giving young players a chance.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday that Welbeck’s versatility made him a good fit for his new club.

“Danny Welbeck is an ideal signing for us because he can play through the middle, where I think is his best position, but as well on the flanks,” the Frenchman said. “His qualities are his team attitude and his pace. As well, as you could see with England, his goalscoring.”




 

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