Fletcher: Man Utd were wrong to sell Welbeck to Arsenal

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Darren Fletcher has claimed that his former club Manchester United made the wrong decision to sell Danny Welbeck to Arsenal in the summer of 2014.

Welbeck, who had been joined the Red Devils academy at the age of eight, was a key player in the first-team squad during his first six seasons under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes.

However, with the arrival of Louis van Gaal at the helm, Welbeck was allowed to make a surprise switch to the Emirates in 2014 - a decision which Fletcher feels the then-manager got wrong.

"Lots of players who left under Van Gaal should still be there in my view. That's not me having a go at anyone, but the day Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal was a sad day," he told ESPN.

Fletcher added to praise the striker's commitment towards the Old Trafford outfit, and believes he could have evolved into a 'top top' player for the Mancunian giants, had he stayed put.

Welbeck has since fared fairly well in the Arsenal shirt with 16 goals in 56 outings despite being out on two occasions with long-term injuries.