There has been a lot and consistent talk over the future of Aaron Ramsey as his contract continues to run down. The Welshman’s contract is up at the end of the season and it looks increasingly likely that he will be departing the Emirates either in January or next summer with no new deal in sight from the Gunners.
However, along with Ramsey, there is another first-team player’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and that’s Danny Welbeck.
The former Manchester United forward’s future currently looks bleak at Arsenal, not only because a new deal has yet to be offered to him, but now because of the horrific injury he suffered earlier this month. The 27-year-old was stretchered off the field after landing awkwardly and breaking his ankle during the 0-0 Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates
Welbeck has since had successful surgery to mend his foot, but the forward now looks set to miss most of, if not all, the remainder of the season as a result.
Taking all this into account, should Arsenal offer Welbeck a new deal?
Had the injury not even occurred, I believe Welbeck’s future at Arsenal was in serious doubt.
Since arriving at Arsenal from Manchester United for £16million in summer 2014, Welbeck has missed a staggering 83 games for the Gunners due to fitness problems and has spent 587 days on the sidelines due to injuries.
Before moving to Arsenal, the England international spent six seasons at United, where he scored 29 goals in 142 outings, and has found the net 32 times in 126 games in all competitions for the Gunners thus far. His goalscoring stats aren’t something to write home about and he continues to struggle to cement a regular place in the starting line-up – if you can’t do this at 27, then he never will, in my opinion. Yes, injuries have hampered him in recent seasons, but I have questioned his ability as a player since his United days and, in my view of course, don’t rate him as highly as others do.
The recent long-term injury he sustained won’t do him any favours when it comes to being offered a new deal, nor should the club feel obligated to hand him one purely for sympathetic reasons.
Arsenal unfortunately had to let go of Santi Cazorla for similar reasons and it shouldn’t be any different in Welbeck’s case. In addition, Emery will more than likely bring a new forward in either in January or next summer as he looks to mould this Gunners squad into his own.
