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Man Utd stance on hijacking Chelsea's Welbeck transfer after secret talks
Jul 28 2026 10:49 · By Daniel Marsh,Senior Sports Reporter · 5 Reads
Manchester United have given no indication that they are considering a fresh attempt to re-sign Danny Welbeck, who is in talks to sign for Chelsea.
The 35-year-old striker is a United academy graduate who went on to represent the club in the Premier League before joining Arsenal in 2014 for £16million. Welbeck has spent the last six years at Brighton, scoring 23 league goals in the last two seasons for the Seagulls.
Welbeck's fine form last season, plus his wealth of top-flight experience and leadership qualities, has seen him emerge as a surprise transfer target for Chelsea, who are looking to bolster their squad ahead of the new season.
The Blues and Brighton are currently in talks over a deal for Welbeck, whose contract on the south coast expires next year.
Intriguingly, Manchester United are also in the market for a striker this summer. However, there is nothing to currently suggest they have designs on hijacking Chelsea's move for Welbeck, according to The Athletic.
United have, though, held discussions with Welbeck about a romantic return to Old Traffic in both 2024 and 2025. It's even claimed that talks to bring the veteran back home got 'quite far' last year, with United eventually signing Benjamin Sesko to bolster their attack.
Interest in Welbeck comes off the back of his impact since joining Brighton, who qualified for the Europa Conference League last season. Welbeck was their top scorer in the Premier League, plundering 13 goals.
After narrowly missing out on a place in England's World Cup squad, Welbeck is viewed by Chelsea as a quality support option for their first-choice striker, Joao Pedro. Welbeck played with the Brazilian previously at Brighton and would become the eighth player to move between the clubs in recent years if a transfer is finalised.
As well as their pursuit of Welbeck, Chelsea are also working on a deal to sign the veteran midfielder, Jordan Henderson, from Brentford on a free transfer. The 36-year-old still has a year left on the contract he signed when he joined the Bees last summer.
