According to reports in The Telegraph, Arsenal are prepared to sell striker Danny Welbeck this summer, and their Premier League rivals Southampton should be ready to break their transfer record to bring him to St Mary's seeing as they have no interest in Liverpool's Danny Ings, as per the Daily Echo.

What's the word, then?

Marcus Rashford and Danny Welbeck in England training

Well, The Telegraph says that new Gunners boss Unai Emery is ready to trim his squad having brought in five new additions since taking over, and that could include Welbeck.

The England international, who only made one substitute appearance for his country as they reached the semi-final of the World Cup in Russia, faces a struggle for selection according to The Telegraph, which is no surprise given as he will be up against the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette for a spot in his preferred centre-forward position.

The report adds that he only has a year left on his contract, which makes it even more likely that the north London outfit would be prepared to sell him for a fee now rather than lose him for nothing next year.

Why should Southampton swoop for him?

Well, it seems clear that Saints need to add to their striker options given they only netted 37 times in 38 Premier League matches last term, with Charlie Austin often struggling with injury and Manolo Gabbiadini and Shane Long failing to find any sort of form in front of goal.

While Welbeck has had his injury problems in the past, he made 43 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal during the 2017/18 campaign, and you have to wonder the impact he could make at a club like the south coast outfit if he started for them every week.

The 27-year-old has 41 goals and 25 assists for the Gunners and Manchester United in 198 top-flight appearances, and while he cost Arsene Wenger £16m in 2014, Arsenal could well demand a higher price than that for him this summer.

Given his age and his stature Southampton, whose fans have been debating a possible return for a former star with one saying "I'd take him back", should be willing to break the club-record £19.1m fee they paid to sign Guido Carrillo in January to bring Welbeck to St Mary's.

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