Wenger and the call to sign Welbeck before seeing the Pope

In the mid-10s we're still in, Danny Welbeck was one of the most promising English players on the scene. The Manchester center forward grew up in the United quarry and made it to the first team. After two assignments at Preston and Sunderland, he spent three seasons at Old Trafford and ended up moving to London with Wenger to become an Arsenal player in exchange for € 20 million. His arrival, yes, cost a lot of work and brought bizarre situations.

The Alsace coach, now working to revolutionize the game from FIFA, gave an interview to The Athletic on the occasion of the sale of his book where he reviewed the process of signing Welbeck for the North London team.

“I was on my way to a Party for Peace. At the airport they told me that I was going to sign for Tottenham and I intervened to stop the signing. It was a funny story because I had to negotiate all day. We were on a call Ivan Gazidis, Dick Law and their agent negotiating the transfer. So I said “I have to hang up because I'm with the Pope” “What”, they answered me. I told them yes, I was waiting in line to have a private audience with the Pope and take a picture with him. I put myself last because I had to negotiate with them. In the end, I got in front of the Pope and told them: “Now I cannot, I am going to meet with the Pope,” said Arsenè, who hung up the phone before meeting with Pope Francis. “And yet we signed him,” he added. between laughs.

Welbeck was at Arsenal from 14/15 to 18/19 although he was losing prominence respectively and his level of play never adjusted to expectations. The first season was one of those that counted the most, playing up to 34 games in which he scored eight goals and distributed another six. In 17/18 he improved his data with 10 goals in 43 games between all competitions. In 18/19 and after only playing 14 games (5 goals) he went to Watford, where his contract ended just 10 days ago and now, he is without a team.