West Ham United are one of three Premier League teams keeping tabs on Arsenal attacker Danny Welbeck ahead of a potential summer swoop, according to the Daily Mirror.
The newspaper claims that the Hammers are monitoring the England international’s status as he enters the final couple of months of his current £125,000-a-week contract (Source: Spotrac).
Newcastle United and Everton are also in the hunt to sign 28-year-old, who has amassed 42 goals in 206 Premier League appearances over his time at the Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford.
However, the Gunners are said to be considering handing Welbeck a new deal, despite him missing much of this season due to injury.
OPINION
This is an interesting situation that’s developing between Welbeck and the aforementioned four teams. Ultimately Arsenal are going to be the ones who affect the outcome the most here, as well as the player of course, and so West Ham, Newcastle and Everton could end up missing out on Welbeck through no fault of their own. It would be rather strange for Arsenal to give the former Manchester United man an extension given that he wasn’t blowing anyone’s hair back before his injury. He’s also had significant injury troubles not just this season but in past campaigns as well. So it would be a surprise were the Gunners to hand him a new contract. If they don’t, then West Ham would be a realistic potential destination for him. There will likely be a fair bit of turnaround within the Hammers’ striking corps this summer, meaning that a couple of new attackers will probably need to be brought in. Welbeck could well be one of those new recruits if everything pans out. This is especially the case when you consider he may soon be available for free if the Gunners don’t sort out a new deal for him.
