Daniel Nii Tackie Mensah Welbeck (born 26 November 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

[7] At eight years old, he impressed with local team Fletcher Moss Rangers, and was finally picked up by the Manchester United youth academy.

[citation needed] He joined United during the 2005–06 season, making his debut for the club's under-18 team on 8 April 2006 in a league match against Sunderland.

[citation needed] Then, in January 2008, he was called up to the first team for the trip to Saudi Arabia to play Al-Hilal in Sami Al-Jaber's testimonial match.

[10] Through that he joined the first-team squad partway through the 2007–08 season,[11] and made his competitive debut for the Manchester United first team on 23 September 2008, starting up front in a 3–1 home win against Middlesbrough in the League Cup Third Round.

[12] Welbeck's Premier League debut was made on 15 November 2008, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute for Park Ji-sung against Stoke City.

[13] He started in the 2009 League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on 1 March 2009, in which United beat Tottenham Hotspur 4–1 on penalties after a 0–0 extra-time draw.

[28] He picked up an injury in the 4–2 home win over Wigan Athletic on 23 April, and he returned to Manchester United for treatment for the remainder of the season.

[41] His impressive performances throughout the 2011–12 campaign earned him a place on the shortlist for the 2012 PFA Young Player of the Year Award, which was won by Tottenham Hotspur defender Kyle Walker.

[46] Welbeck's goal made him the first Englishman to score for a Premier League team at the Bernabéu since Leeds United's Alan Smith in 2001.

[60] Welbeck made his Arsenal debut against the previous season's champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium in a 2–2 draw on 13 September.

[64] On 9 March 2015, Welbeck scored the winning goal to knock out his former team, Manchester United, in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at Old Trafford.

[73] In May, Welbeck sustained another knee injury in a 2–2 draw with Manchester City from which it was estimated he would miss between three and five months of football, thereby ending any chance he had of making England's UEFA Euro 2016 squad.

[75] After being away for eight months due to the knee injury, Welbeck was named part of Arsenal's squad in the FA Cup match against his former club Preston on 7 January 2017.

[79] Welbeck started in the 2017 FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on 6 August, as Arsenal beat Chelsea 4–1 penalties having drawn 1–1 after extra time.

[83] Welbeck ended a goalless run of 16 Premier League games to score two and assist the other as the Gunners fought back to beat Southampton 3–2.

[84] Welbeck suffered a broken ankle in a scoreless draw against Sporting CP in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

[92] Welbeck signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 October 2020 on a free transfer on a one-year contract.

[113] Welbeck made his England under-16s debut as a 14-year-old in October 2005; he replaced Nathan Porritt in the 70th minute of the 4–0 win against Wales in the 2005 Victory Shield.

[citation needed] The tournament saw England finish as runners-up to Spain, which secured the team a place in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea.

[citation needed] Welbeck was originally intended to be a squad member for England's European Under-19 Championship campaign in July 2008, but was forced to withdraw.

[124] He played in England's deciding UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on 7 October 2011, coming on as a substitute for Theo Walcott in the second half.

On 2 June 2012, he scored his first goal for England in a 1–0 win against Belgium, with a chip over goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after collecting a through ball from his Manchester United teammate Ashley Young.

[126] On 15 June 2012, Welbeck scored a backheeled winning goal in the 79th minute as England beat Sweden 3–2 in UEFA Euro 2012 in Kyiv.

[127] Welbeck scored four goals in England's qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, braces in two home matches: a 5–0 win over San Marino on 12 October 2012[128] and a 4–0 victory against Moldova on 6 September 2013,[129] He was called up for the final squad for the tournament.

[132] On 8 September 2014, in England's first match of UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, Welbeck scored both goals in a 2–0 victory away to Switzerland at St. Jakob-Park, Basel.

[134] During March 2018, Welbeck was selected for the national team for friendlies in preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup alongside Arsenal teammate Jack Wilshere.

He replaced Liverpool's teenage full back Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 79th minute where Belgium won the match 1–0 with a 59th minute Adnan Januzaj goal to win Group G.[137] Due to his height and running style, Welbeck has been compared to former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor,[138][139] but styled his game on another former Arsenal forward, his boyhood hero Thierry Henry.

[141] Critics have acknowledged the strength in Welbeck's style of play such as his work-rate, pace and intelligence in following tactical command, especially after his performance in both of Manchester United's Champions League knock-out stage matches against Real Madrid in 2013.

[142][143][144] Under former England manager Roy Hodgson, who favoured the 4–3–3 formation,[145][146] Welbeck's ability in supporting the attack, pressing the midfield, and hold up play fit well into the system.