“Second to Kane”: Brighton’s Welbeck backed to earn surprise England call-up

Danny Welbeck has received the backing of Brighton & Hove Albion caput manager Fabian Hurzeler and erstwhile Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand to gain a call-up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.

The acquisition striker whitethorn crook 35 adjacent month, but helium continues to defy his property and has remarkably scored much Premier League goals per crippled successful his thirties (0.36) than helium did earlier successful his vocation during his twenties oregon teens.

After scoring 10 goals successful 30 Premier League appearances for Brighton past play - his champion ever scoring run to day - Welbeck has since recovered the nett 5 times successful his opening 9 top-flight matches this term.

Only Erling Haaland (11), Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago (six each) person scored much Premier League goals this play that Welbeck, who precocious netted doubles for Brighton successful wins implicit Chelsea and Newcastle earlier scoring a superb escaped footwear successful past weekend’s 4-2 loss astatine erstwhile nine Man United. 

"I person the passionateness and emotion for football," Welbeck told BBC Match of the Day earlier this month. "It's what I privation to do. I consciousness good. I consciousness beardown and acceptable truthful I won't beryllium stopping soon."

Hurzeler has “big belief” successful Welbeck representing England

Welbeck’s awesome performances person not gone unnoticed by Brighton brag Hurzeler, who precocious labelled his first-choice striker arsenic a “top professional".

"Before and aft training, helium ever tries to beryllium prepared. He does a bully recovery,” Hurzeler told reporters. "Every grooming session, helium goes 100%. He ne'er tries to rest.

“That's the main happening and, connected apical of that, if you person a bully property and pb by behaviour and performance, that's the main happening however to picture Danny Welbeck. He's ever there. He's not a selfish property - he's ever determination for his teammates."

Welbeck’s caller signifier has led to suggestions that the striker could beryllium considered by England brag Tuchel for an planetary call-up up of 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania successful November.

"I conscionable asked the question to the squad whether Danny Welbeck tin play for England and they each agreed [he can],” Hurzeler said astatine a property league connected Friday. “That was the lone clip we've mentioned it. Let's spot what happens.

"I'm precise convinced for my players and I person a large content that Danny volition beryllium capable to play for England, but I ever effort to emphasise that England has a large manager and helium volition marque the close decisions. Let's see."

Where does Welbeck fertile among Tuchel’s England strikers?

Welbeck has besides been backed to gain a call-up by erstwhile England defender Ferdinand, who played with the striker during his clip astatine Man United betwixt 2008 and 2014.

The likes of Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke, Ivan Toney person each been battling for a spot up beforehand for England whenever skipper Harry Kane has not been progressive successful caller years, but Ferdinand believes that Welbeck should present beryllium considered arsenic the Three Lions’ second-best striker down the Bayern Munich star.

“[Welbeck is] 2nd to Harry Kane,’ Ferdinand said connected Rio Ferdinand Presents. “If you’re talking signifier close present and the squad was being picked tomorrow, Danny Welbeck has to go, no?

“Experience, tin bash antithetic types of things connected the transportation for you, helium tin tally successful down if request be, we saw that astatine Old Trafford, helium tin travel abbreviated and nexus play arsenic good arsenic anybody extracurricular of Harry Kane, He’s an all-round footballer, if it wasn’t for the injuries helium had earlier successful his career.

“I would instrumentality him. If helium finishes the play successful the signifier he’s successful close now, there’s nary mode you can’t instrumentality him due to the fact that he’s lone going determination for a month, it isn’t similar we’re saying to him helium has to play a afloat season, you’ve got to beryllium acceptable and that relation helium tin bash that, coming successful and out, beryllium a enactment enactment for idiosyncratic similar Harry Kane.”

Since and including his planetary debut successful 2011, Welbeck has 42 England caps to his sanction and 16 goals, but helium has not represented the Three Lions since 2018 and volition anticipation to gain a call-up by Tuchel erstwhile helium announces his latest squad adjacent week.

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