Besiktas has emerged as surprise frontrunners for the signature of Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck. According to the recent reports, the English international could be the latest player to be offloaded by manager Arsene Wenger as he steadies himself for a complete makeover of his squad in the near future.
The 27-year-old has struggled for regular game time this season and has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium. Welbeck has been subject to a lot of appearances as a substitute and has completed 90 minutes just three times under boss Arsene Wenger this season. Some sources are claiming that the Turkish champions are ready to offer him an escape route and are preparing an offer for the Gunners outcast.
Besiktas has recently sold star striker Cenk Tosun to Everton for £27m and are in dire need of a replacement. It is also been reported that the Turkish club’s president Fikret Orman has flown to England to hold talks with the North Londoners. However, any potential deal will involve an initial loan with an option to buy Welbeck on a permanent transfer with Besiktas reportedly only willing to sign a player on a temporary basis for now.
The English forward has failed to start a single game in the Premier League for three months but finally, got his opportunity in the first-team when the Gunners lost 2-1 away at Bournemouth on Sunday.
Arsenal are currently occupying 6th place in the Premier League standings, a massive 8 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and are in no position to lose another one of their prized assets. The North London outfit is already set to lose Alexis Sanchez this month and Mesut Ozil may also be on his way out at the end of the season with just six months remaining on his Arsenal contract.
However, recent speculations suggest that Wenger is prepared to replace them by opting for the likes of Malcolm from Bordeaux and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund. So he might be open to letting Welbeck leave to boost the striker’s chances of making the cut in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup which kicks off later this year.
The Gunners are now preparing to host Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Saturday. It remains to be seen whether Wenger decides to opt for Welbeck’s services or if he decides to let him leave in search of greener pastures. Only time will tell what lies ahead in the future of the former Manchester United striker who has scored 5 goals and made one assist in 22 appearances for Arsenal this season.
