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Danny Welbeck says he had to leave Manchester United for Arsenal after spending much of his time at Old Trafford on the wing.

The Longsight lad has become the London lad - and that will finally hit home on Saturday when United fan Danny Welbeck lines up for Arsenal against his old club, the Manchester Evening News reports.

He maybe still wearing Red but the jersey has white sleeves now since the Mancunian, who’ll celebrate his 24th birthday four days after United’s visit, was sold to the Gunners for £16m in the summer by Old Trafford manager Louis van Gaal.

Saturday tea time at the Emirates will be the England striker’s first appearance in the fixture since he scored in a United 2-1 win in the capital in January 2012.

Danny Welbeck - a career in pics:

Robin van Persie’s move in the opposite direction later that year effectively forced Welbeck out of serious contention for a central striker’s role at United and the seeds were sown in his mind that he might have to leave his beloved Old Trafford.

“When you’ve been somewhere for so long and then you’re going to start a new chapter in your career, you’ve got to think about it a lot. Over the past year or so, I started to think about what’s best for me,” Welbeck said this week.

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“At the time I was playing on the left wing a lot and in a 4–4-2, which is very difficult for me because I can’t make an impact on the game. I can play it to the best of my ability but that’s not best for the team, and I could make a bigger impact playing in my preferred position.

“You start to have thoughts but at that time you’re still going to training and I was still giving 100 per cent and giving my all in every single game – that’s just me, I’m not going to change that. But you do start to think about what’s best for you.”

Welbeck has proved his point, scoring five goals in 12 appearances for the Gunners since his move and five in six for England this season and has settled into life in the capital.

Danny Welbeck's 2014/15 season 34 Games 8 Goals 4 Assists

“It’s a bit different in London, because obviously I was born and bred in Manchester so that’s a place I know like the back of my hand. I went to school there and you really get to know the city. Manchester is much smaller so you do know a lot of people in the vicinity,” he added.

“Growing up there, we played lots of different schools and you’d see people you knew in town all the time.

“I used to get two buses to school and you’d see more or less everyone in the city centre, so I kind of knew everyone around my age group.

“There were a lot of people in Manchester that I was connected to so it is a bit different coming to London and not knowing as many people.

“But it’s going well. Arsenal is the place for me to advance my career and take me to the next level.”