Rooney believes United should have signed red-hot PL striker whose “purple patch” has him on Tuchel’s radar

Underperforming Manchester United players have a habit of exploding into form elsewhere, often leaving the Red Devils red-faced. Scott McTominay’s title-winning season at Napoli is a recent example, while the likes of Paul Pogba, Wilfried Zaha and Memphis Depay also enjoyed considerable success after leaving Old Trafford. Pogba was a rare case of United biting the bullet and bringing a departed player back, but club legend Wayne Rooney believes they should have done the same for an old teammate who always turns up against his former employers. Welbeck should have been brought back Speaking on his BBC podcast, Rooney reflected on Welbeck’s impressive form and gave his thoughts on a potential Old Trafford return for the 34-year-old. Rooney said: “I’m stoked, he’s been on fire. I absolutely love Daniel, I love him. He’s been such a good player in the Premier League. Man United should have brought him back because he scores goals and he works hard.” Welbeck, who lined up 104 times with Rooney at United, scored against his former club at Old Trafford last month to give Ruben Amorim’s team a nervous few minutes in their 4-2 win over Brighton and Hove Albion. Moment has passed Despite the Englishman’s goalscoring antics this season, netting six times in his last five Premier League matches, Rooney feels the moment to re-sign him has passed. “I think over the last couple of years I would have really have liked to have him back,” he said. “I think now United are going a different way and have hopefully turned a corner. “But I would have wanted him back over the last few years. He seems settled at Brighton so I just hope he keeps scoring goals and hopefully gives himself the best chance possible to get back in the England squad.” Perfect profile and “purple patch” United’s all-time top scorer reflected on playing alongside Welbeck, who he described as “such a lovely person.” He said: “He pressed really high and was aggressive and quick with it. Really clever, good feet and he scored goals. I can’t speak highly enough of him. “He has had injuries in his career which probably hindered him a bit but he seems to be fit now and he’s showing his ability.” The profile Rooney describes would work perfectly in the current United setup, and the club were reportedly interested in re-signing him a couple of years ago. He played 142 for United before leaving for Arsenal in 2014. While that move didn’t come to pass, Rooney believes Welbeck’s “purple patch” has put him “in a position where [England manager] Thomas Tuchel will definitely have to look at him” as a backup for Harry Kane ahead of the World Cup this summer. Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Joe Ponting Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried. He cut his teeth working in print media for local newspapers and entered football journalism covering the grassroots game for the Non-League Paper. Here he achieved a career high, interviewing United legend Sir Bobby Charlton to get his views on the lower echelons of the football pyramid. To kill time during international breaks Joe writes album reviews and has strong views on post punk for Plus One Magazine.