Amidst the hubbub of the Stick to Football podcast, Gary Neville was full of praise for Welbeck's recent transformation. He was outspoken in saying that Welbeck is in better shape than any striker in the United squad, and was convinced that United made a mistake in releasing him. Roy Keane, on the other hand, responded calmly, pointing out that a player's excellent performance after leaving the club is not a good enough reason for them to be retained.
Neville was not swayed by Keane's rebuttal, and was convinced that if United were to expand to a 24-man squad with the intention of retaining five or six strikers, Welbeck would be a key figure on that list. However, Keane had reservations, pointing out that just because a player may have a spring in their step outside of United does not mean that they are capable of surviving the high standards and demands set by the club. In a heated debate sparked by the two former United stars, both sides were at odds with each other.
