Former Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck has agreed to extend his contract with Brighton & Hove Albion, just days before the Gunners come to visit.
Sami Mokbel reports for the BBC that Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck has trigged a 12-month option in his contract to extend his deal until the end of next season.
Welbeck’s existing deal had been due to expire this summer, but the club have now guaranteed he’ll be sticking around for another year.
The 12-month option in Welbeck’s contract hadn’t been reported at the time of his extension, so many were unaware it even existed, leading to uncertainty about the forward’s future. But this update has now put those concerns to bed.
The timing of Welbeck’s contract news coincides with an upturn in form for the player, with the England international ending a seven-game Premier League goal drought by scoring in his last two matches against Brentford and Nottingham Forest.
With two goals in two games and a new contract, Welbeck should now go into Wednesday’s match against former club Arsenal with plenty of confidence.
Welbeck has generally remained popular with Arsenal fans despite leaving the club, but he’s already scored twice against the Gunners since that departure, and the 35-year-old has also scored twice in two starts against Manchester United this season. He doesn’t fear facing his old teams.
If Arsenal are going to pick up another three points and keep the pressure on Manchester City ahead of the title run-in, they’re going to need to keep Welbeck quiet in midweek.