Arsenal star Welbeck set to leave for free in summer

Bengaluru, December 6: England forward Danny Welbeck is set to leave Arsenal on a free transfer next summer with Unai Emery planning to bring Reiss Nelson back to the club, according to reports in England.

Welbeck, 28, is currently sidelined with a broken ankle and looks set to follow Aaron Ramsey out the Emirates door when their contracts expire in the summer.

It was reported last week that Crystal Palace were planning a £10million January move for the ex-Manchester United star. Now, reports are coming out of London that claim Arsenal have made it clear there will be no new deal for Welbeck who required surgery after landing awkwardly in last month's Europa League clash against Sporting Lisbon.

Gunners chiefs did likewise with other injured players in the past, such as Santi Cazorla and Abou Diaby.

Arsenal, currently fourth in the Premier League, have seen their spending power restricted by two seasons without cash inflow from the Champions League.

Despite that, they have dished out mega-money contracts to £350,000-a-week Mesut Ozil plus Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as well as Alexandre Lacazette.

Arsene Wenger made sure of those signings but they have meant Emery has been relatively strapped for cash even though the Spaniard is doing a great job with the squad he has at his disposal.

Now the former Paris Saint-Germain boss believes he will have more money to spend by letting Ramsey and Welbeck go by saving on their wages.

That will also create room for 18-year-old Nelson, who has impressed since joining Hoffenheim on loan in the summer.

The England Under-21 star has scored six goals in 14 appearances for the Bundesliga side and could be a good deputy to the likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette next season.

Arsenal were willing to sell Welbeck to Southampton last summer, but he rejected the move and now it seems that they will have to let him go on a free transfer.