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Man Utd left to count the COST of letting Danny Welbeck join Arsenal - Michael Owen
MANCHESTER UNITED will regret letting Danny Welbeck join Arsenal next season, according to Michael Owen.
Danny Welbeck joined Arsenal last summer
Welbeck headed to the Gunners in a surprise £16million deadline day deal last summer.
But with Radamel Falcao's loan move failing to work out and Robin van Persie's future uncertain, Louis van Gaal could be left with just Wayne Rooney and James Wilson up front next term.
United have been linked with a host of attacking reinforcements this summer but Owen believes that they will live to regret letting Welbeck depart.
They have a huge void up front and after letting Danny Welbeck go.
He told ESPNFC: "They are going to have some issues in the striking position.
"Falcao has gone, Robin van Persie is on the wane and then what? Wayne Rooney is a reliable goal threat, but he is not going to be around forever.
"They have a huge void up front and after letting Danny Welbeck go.
"You quickly realise they need to spend a whole lot more to compete and they have already spent a lot since Van Gaal arrived."
The fee was also a source of contention with the fee received for Welbeck drawing unfavourable comparisons with Mario Balotelli - who joined Liverpool for the same fee from AC Milan - but struggled hugely in his first season at Anfield.United have been linked with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuain, Mario Mandzukic and Harry Kane this summer, but all are likely to cost significantly more than the £16m the Red Devils pocketed from Welbeck's sale just 12 months' ago.