Welbeck Akui `Happy` Hengkang ke Arsenal
Welbeck: I used to Dream about Playing for Arsenal
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
DANNY Welbeck, mantan striker Manchester United mengaku senang bergabung dengan Arsenal setelah menyelesaikan proses kepindahannya dari Old Trafford ke Stadion Emirates.
"Ini saat-saat menyenangkan bagi saya," katanya dalam satu video yang diunggah laman resmi Arsenal FC, Kamis.
Selain sering menonton laga Arsenal, Welbeck ternyata mengaku sudah lama membayangkan untuk bisa bermain bersama Arsenal.
"Saya sebelumnya telah membayarkan diri saya bermain dalam klub ini. Untuk ini yang akhirnya terjadi sangat menyenangkan," katanya.
Namun, Welbeck tetap mengenang mantan klubnya yang nanti berbalik menjadi lawannya, Manchester United, yang sekarang diasuh pelatih Belanda Louis van Gaal.
"Saya berada di United bahkan sejak saya masih anak kecil dan saya punya saat luar biasa di sana."
Welbeck yang sekarang berusia 23 tahun, menandatangani kontrak jangka panjang dengan Arsenal pada Senin lalu.
Dengan Oliver Giroud absen empat bulan karena patah tulang kaki, Welbeck sepertinya akan dipasang di barisan depan Arsenal dalam laga kandang melawan Manchester City 13 September nanti.
Welbeck telah mencetak 20 gol dalam 92 penampilan Liga Utama Inggris bersama Manchester United.
DANNY Welbeck has risked the wrath of Manchester United fans by claiming he’s been thinking about playing for Arsenal for quite some time.
The 23-year-old made a £16million deadline day switch to the Emirates after failing to cement himself in Louis van Gaal’s first-team plans, but it seems Welbeck has always had one eye on lining up for the Gunners.
‘It’s exciting times for me. It’s great to be a part of this club and it’s a team that I’ve always watched in the Premier League,’ Welbeck told Arsenal.com.
‘I’ve envisaged myself playing in this team before. For it to finally happen is very exciting.
‘I’ve been at United ever since I was a little boy and I had a great time there. I just think this is the next stage of my development – to come to Arsenal, to really show people what I can do as a footballer and hopefully get to the place where I want to be.’
A section of Arsenal fans were skeptical over Welbeck’s arrival due to his strong United ties, but the striker insists that the Red Devils’ chapter in his life is over, and reaffirmed his commitment to the Gunners’ quest for glory.
When asked how difficult it was to leave his boyhood club, Welbeck replied: ‘Things move on in life and I think you’ve really got to make the right decision in the situation that you’re in at that moment in time.
‘I really do believe that coming to Arsenal is the right decision.
‘Last year we got the FA Cup and I feel like it’s time where we could really push on and try and challenge for the Premier League title. I’ve got one medal and it’s something that I really want to add to.’
