Welbeck Praises United’s “Xavi & Iniesta”

Having cemented his place in the first team, Danny Welbeck can feel like a senior at United despite being just 21.

He has come a long way from scoring that corker on his Premier League debut against Stoke, and now casts his eye over younger players at the club the way people did over him when he was breaking through.

Having worked his way up through the club from academy to reserves to first team, it is natural that Welbeck has an interest in the talent that will follow in his footsteps and a few have caught his attention.

Speaking to The Guardian, Welbeck hailed the likes of Paul Pogba and the emerging talents of Larnell Cole and Jesse Lingard.

There has been much hype surrounding Pogba since he joined from Le Harve in 2009 and this increased after an impressive Premier League debut against Stoke last month but the likes of Cole and Lingard aren’t so readily acknowledged by fans even if the coaching staff hold them in high regard.

“Not everyone is seeing the likes of Larnell Cole, Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba, who are just as good in different ways.

“Sometimes I train against Larnell and Jesse and think I’m playing against a little Iniesta and Xavi. I really hope they can make that step up.”

Welbeck also spoke on the now departed Ravel Morrison, wishing his friend well at his new club West Ham:

“It will be tough for him to ditch his reputation because everyone will have the natural instinct that ‘Ravel has done this again’, but he’s a good kid at heart.

“I really hope he can get in the Premier League and show everyone what he can do. I just wish it was at United.”