The Danny Welbeck renaissance at Brighton is turning heads.
At age 34, the former England forward has struck six goals in his opening 10 Premier League appearances of the 2025/26 season – a remarkable return by any measure, especially given his age and the fact many might have assumed his best years were behind him.
Welbeck’s resurgence is not simply a matter of personal satisfaction. It strikes right at the heart of the England as the Three Lions prepares for the road to the 2026 World Cup.
Having not represented England since 2018, Welbeck finds himself one of his country’s few standout centre-forward options outside the regular first-choice man Harry Kane.
And on current form, he is making a strong case to be recalled.
From the moment Welbeck signed for Brighton in October 2020, many saw a dependable squad player – versatile, valuable – but one whose best days were behind him.
But rather than decline, Welbeck has quietly turned himself into a reliable goal-getter. His career tally for Brighton now stands at 39 Premier League goals in 149 appearances.
This season, his strike rate of six goals in 10 games is all the more impressive given three of those outings have come from the bench. Plus, he has struck in games against high-calibre opposition in Chelsea, Newcastle and his former club Manchester United.
For a striker nearing the twilight of his career, that kind of productivity – approaching a goal every 100 minutes or so – suggests sharpness and reliability rather than a flash-in-the-pan revival.
In a side coached by Fabian Hurzeler that prizes pressing, versatility and intelligent movement, Welbeck fulfils a key role: a forward who may not dominate in pure physicality as younger strikers might, but whose timing, experience and movement in the box remain intact.
His non-penalty xG per 90 of around 0.55, on 14 shots so far, and shot accuracy of 50 per cent reflect someone firing efficiently.
The statistics are backed up by results: in early November, Brighton’s 3-0 win over Leeds included Welbeck’s sixth league goal and provoked renewed talk of his England candidacy.
Welbeck’s case for an international recall is layered.
First, he has past experience with the national side. He earned 42 caps between 2011 and 2018, scoring 16 goals. He featured at major tournaments, too, including the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, so he knows the feeling of big-stage pressure.
Second, his current form is arguably more dependable than many of the fringe options for the England number two striker slot.
Take Ollie Watkins, for instance – he has started the season with just one goal in 10 Premier League appearances.
Or consider Ivan Toney, who although prolific in the Saudi Pro League, plays outside Europe’s top five leagues and thus perhaps outside the kind of intense weekly test Premier League strikers endure.
And third, England manager Thomas Tuchel is soon going to have to decide who backs up his world-class centre forward.
The hierarchy is clear at the top for England (and has been for some years) but beyond that, Welbeck offers an experienced, steady hand. His tactical intelligence, fitness and his current strike-rate suggest he could plug into a squad role seamlessly.
Heading towards the 2026 World Cup, Tuchel will value reliability, character and experience. Welbeck ticks those boxes.
He is not necessarily the long-term future nor the hyped-up young gun, but he fulfils the trusted professional slot often prized by international coaches.
If England were to play a tournament and lost their starter to injury, having someone who can come in, press, hold up the ball, do the dirty work and score goals – that’s real value.
It is not that Watkins and Toney are bad options – far from it. But context matters.
Watkins' low return this season (just the one goal so far) undermines his claim at present. Toney’s Saudi switch means he could be seen as borderline risky given the different pace and intensity of the league.
Meanwhile, Welbeck is thriving in the Premier League, week in, week out.
Danny Welbeck won't stop scoring for @OfficialBHAFC 🔵⚪️
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 1, 2025
He now has six goals in his last five appearances! pic.twitter.com/yrmKqpe5LT
And Alan Shearer, a man who knows a thing or two about what it takes to lead the line for England in tournaments, is chief among those pounding the drum for Welbeck.
“If you look at the forward options in Tuchel’s last squad there aren’t many obvious stand-ins for Harry Kane,” Shearer told BBC Sport.
“Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen, Bukayo Saka aren’t going to fill that role and Ollie Watkins hasn’t been firing for Aston Villa, so any English striker scoring goals in the Premier League is going to be talked about.
“It’s seven years since Welbeck’s last cap and he's 35 this month but Tuchel isn’t worried about the future. His only focus is the six weeks of the World Cup so there’s no reason why Welbeck couldn’t be involved if he keeps scoring and stays injury free.”
If Tuchel seeks a striker who is currently in-form, playing in England’s top division, operating within that environment and scoring goals, Welbeck stands out.
There is always a reluctance in international selection to pick players whose best days are supposedly behind them. But football also shows time and again the value of experience.
Welbeck has matured rather than declined and his current form gives credible reason to reward that.
Including Welbeck in upcoming England would give him the chance to slot back in, add his experience to the group and stake a claim for a spot on the grandest stage next summer.
For Brighton he remains a crucial player: scoring goals, leading from the front, offering experience and leadership.
For England, he an offer the same kind of dependable, mature forward play.
At this stage of his career, he is unlikely to take an international tournament by storm and be the driving force of England’s long-dreamed success. But he is also unlikely to let anyone down in a secondary attacking role.
In the winding of his career clock, Danny Welbeck is not losing minutes – he’s gaining momentum. And Tuchel should be open to inviting him back into the fold.
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