Man Utd's failed move for Welbeck after Wayne Rooney's transfer recommendation

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has suggested the Red Devils should re-sign Danny Welbeck and they did seriously consider a move for the veteran striker last summer.

Welbeck left United for Arsenal back in 2014 after coming through the club's academy and he is currently plying his trade for Brighton. The 34-year-old has netted seven Premier League goals for Brighton so far this season, while current United strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have managed just five between them.

Speaking after Welbeck scored an extra-time winner as Brighton beat Newcastle in the FA Cup, Rooney told the BBC : "Danny, he's great to play alongside and if I'm being completely honest, I'd would probably still like to see him here playing for Manchester United.

"He scored goals throughout his career, had injuries in early part of his career, but seems to have got over them and he's having a fantastic season." And United were interested in signing Welbeck last summer, with then manager Erik ten Hag keen to add an experienced forward to his squad.

According to the Athletic, Ten Hag felt Welbeck would be an 'excellent addition' and that the club 'gave serious thought' to making him a contract offer before he ultimately signed a new two-year deal to stay at Brighton.

Welbeck's experience and connection to the club were viewed as major positives, but an offer was ultimately never made and Hojlund and Zirkzee are the only senior strikers at manager Ruben Amorim's disposal.

Chido Obi, 17, has made three appearances off the bench in recent months and when asked if he could start ahead of Hojlund, who has failed to score in his last 18 games across all competitions, Amorim said: "Anything can happen in the next games.

"During training, we don't have a lot of time to train, but we need to see the opposition, feel the moment of the player physically in this moment with a lot of games. Because we are going to start playing Thursday/Sunday, anything can happen.

"But I will focus on just the next game, you know, try and in that way, like I'm going to change the striker. No, I will choose the best players to win the next match. We have a problem with goals.

"Today, we create situations, but even in the last game, sometimes you felt that just in set-pieces, we are going to make some danger. So, I think the first step is to create situations. Today, we create, but we have to improve that to help our forwards and strikers to score."