Welbeck looks back on a dream start and a career built on resilience, adapting to new managers, and a lifelong love of the game
Danny Welbeck remembers the moment he first stepped into the Premier League with Manchester United as a 17-year-old substitute in a 5-0 win over Stoke City at Old Trafford in November 2008. He scored within minutes, curling a strike from 25 yards into the top corner as Cristiano Ronaldo, Dimitar Berbatov and a host of United greats watched on. It felt like a dream, he recalls, to be part of a setups and a squad that looked more like a revolving door for world-class talent than the average first team.
From that day, Welbeck says, the environment at United shaped how he viewed football: training daily with players who carried a winning culture, listening to mentors like Sir Alex Ferguson, and soaking up the mentality of professionals who were constantly striving to be better. “To be around those players, the personalities, and to see them day in, day out. You’re training with them, you’re talking with them, and they’re giving you advice,” he reflects. “I think it was really important for me to go through that and to see how these people are born winners. Everything they do is geared towards winning, and to see that at first hand was great for me.”
Welbeck’s career would take him across several top clubs, through injuries and injuries in turn. After his Manchester United breakthrough, he moved on to Arsenal, spent time on loan at Sunderland, and later joined Watford before finding a longer-term home at Brighton & Hove Albion. Injuries shaped much of his path: knee cartilage damage on two occasions during his spell with Arsenal, and a devastating season-ending dislocation and fracture of his right ankle in a Europa League tie with Sporting CP in 2018. Arsenal released him after nine months out, and his subsequent move to Watford lasted 14 months.
The 2020 winter transfer window brought Welbeck to Brighton on a free, where he has continued his career under different managers and styles. Under Graham Potter, he was asked to run deeper and link play more than in the past; Roberto De Zerbi’s arrival brought a more patient, build-up-heavy approach; and now Fabian Hurzeler has him playing as a hybrid forward who attacks spaces behind and through the middle. “Fabian is a hybrid between the two—he wants us to attack the deep spaces, to get in behind as well,” Welbeck explains. “I’ve grown up and I’ve really tried to base my game on being able to do a number of things, not just one ability.”
Welbeck’s evolution has also included the development of his all-round game and fitness. The discipline around nutrition and training has evolved dramatically since his United days. He notes how modern teams plan detailed summer conditioning programs, a far cry from his early days when breaks were shorter and travel starved of the kind of structured conditioning expected today. Brighton even travels with a chef to away games, a reminder of how far staff and routines have come in safeguarding players’ physical prime.
He remains one of Brighton’s most notable contributors. In the 2025-26 season, Welbeck enjoyed his best Premier League goal return to date, reaching double figures—an achievement that marked his 10th Premier League goal of the season and made him Brighton’s all-time leading Premier League scorer with 33 goals, surpassing Pascal Gross. His totals across his Brighton tenure—15 goals with his right foot, seven with his left, and 11 headed—illustrate his versatility and staying power.
Still, Welbeck insists the numbers aren’t the sole measure of his career. He places team success above individual glory and believes that a winning culture must be shared. “I like my team to win, so if you have to sometimes sacrifice a little bit of individual glory to get the win, I’d happily do that. Everybody in the squad has to be in it together, and that’s how we’re successful,” he says.
That drive to keep going is fueled by a hunger to enjoy football as much as he did on his United debut. Welbeck turns 35 in November, an age many players would consider a turning point, but he remains resolutely focused on the next season. He speaks candidly about balancing family life with a demanding schedule and acknowledges the evolving demands of the modern game. “Nowadays, when you go away with the family and you’ve got two young kids as well, it’s more difficult to find a football pitch and spend time away from the kids. It’s just getting to the gym,” he explains. The point is clear: he will adapt as needed to keep performing at the highest level.
The veneration for the experiences that carried him through the toughest injuries to reach a new high at Brighton is clear in Welbeck’s voice. He has even seen interest from his former club Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag reportedly eyeing a return in 2023, illustrating the enduring respect for his persistence and professionalism.
Looking ahead, Welbeck remains grounded in the present and optimistic about his future. He’s drawn on the lessons of a long career to mentor younger players, emphasizing the importance of standards, experience, and the willingness to do whatever is necessary for the team to win. He’s still keen to push for more time at the highest level, and while retirement remains a distant thought, the pathways he has forged—through discipline, adaptability, and a relentless work ethic—suggest the best may still lie ahead.
Editor’s note: Welbeck’s longevity offers valuable takeaways for players and fans alike—perseverance through injury, the power of mentorship, and the changing nature of preparation in modern football. His story in Brighton continues to be a testament to how versatility and resilience can extend a career at the highest level.
Summary: Danny Welbeck’s career is a narrative of early triumphs, enduring resilience through injuries, and a continued evolution under three Brighton managers. His legacy at Brighton as their record Premier League scorer, coupled with his guidance to younger teammates and his humble approach to the game, stands as a positive testament to longevity in football. If you’re following Arsenal vs. Leeds or Brighton’s current form, Welbeck’s experiences underscore the importance of adaptability, leadership, and a relentless love of football.