Despite all his follies, if there is one thing Arsene Wenger has done well for sure it would have to be his man management of young talent. The Frenchman has always been keen on taking in the raw talent and drilled them through the rigorous course of learning and progressing and turned them into future stars of tomorrow.
Things at the club otherwise have not really gone down well in the recent years. The club has been deprived of success in terms of trophies and with major players leaving almost every other transfer window, there has been a question on Arsenal’s eligibility as a top European club.
Despite such mounting pressure, it has been astounding to see Wenger stick to his principles and continue to give a chance to his young players on the big stage. This exact attitude of Arsene Wenger has seen many young players as well head to the Emirates to kick-start their career.
One such young player who failed to live up to his potential at Manchester United and was given a second chance at Arsenal was England international Danny Welbeck. The 27-year-old forward moved to the Emirates as a 23-year-old forward brimming with pace and unfulfilled potential. His lack of game time at Old Trafford had left him largely frustrated and Wenger decided to bring him in under his tutelage.
However, things have not gone according to plan for Wenger and Welbeck. In three and a half years at London, he has been injured no less than six times and has resultantly missed 82 games in that span of time. His injuries have stagnated his growth and subsequently his career.
At 27, he is yet to prove his calibre as a leading forward and it looks like something he will be unable to do at Arsenal. The Gunners have Alexandre Lacazette as their leading forward with Olivier Giroud as a backup. This has left Welbeck down the pecking order and with rumours of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joining Arsenal, Welbeck will at most have a squad role to play in the foreseeable future.
As for Wenger, he would not look to sell Welbeck as the pacey Englishman provides multiple covers for him owing to his ability to play in multiple positions in attack. Moreover, in a squad of Arsenal’s calibre, it is essential for the club to have squad players of Welbeck’s talent who can win them the odd match or come on late as an impact substitute to make the difference.
It is now up to Welbeck to decide if he chooses to stay at North London and be a squad player or move to a club of a smaller magnitude to become a star.
