Does 'timeless Wonder' Welbeck Deserve England Recall?

Danny Welbeck has not played for England since September 2018. Seven years on, he is successful nan shape of his life and could beryllium group to make nan unlikeliest of world comebacks.

A close-range decorativeness successful Brighton's 3-0 win complete Leeds connected Saturday was Welbeck's sixth extremity successful 10 Premier League games and he is this season's astir prolific English scorer successful nan competition.

The 34-year-old has notched successful his past 3 convention games, nan longest streak of a profession that has seen him people successful 17 different Premier League campaigns.

On Friday Thomas Tuchel will sanction his England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania later this month, and nan German has a estimation for picking players based connected form.

Welbeck, who will beryllium 35 by nan clip nan 2026 World Cup kicks disconnected successful June, has each correct to beryllium assured of adding to his 42 caps and 16 world goals, but he has remained coy connected nan matter.

"I'm emotion good," Welbeck said connected nan BBC's Final Score programme connected Saturday. "I've been getting nan goals much than I person previously.

"Before I person had amended performances but possibly not sewage nan goals. I americium emotion fit, beardown and nan only point I tin attraction connected is controlling what I tin power and nan remainder will benignant itself out.

"I americium really enjoying my football, focusing connected nan adjacent crippled pinch Brighton."

That strategy surely seems to beryllium moving for Welbeck. His six goals this word person travel successful 5 convention games and he is nan Premier League's apical scorer since his streak began connected 27 September.

"He's a timeless wonder," erstwhile Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha told BBC Sport

"What a guy. He's scoring goals and I deliberation he's nan astir businesslike striker."

Having scored six goals from 7 shots connected target, Welbeck is connected way to surpass nan career-best 10 top-flight goals he scored past season.

Several different strikers person played 2nd fiddle to Harry Kane successful caller years, but nary are presently enjoying nan benignant of purple spot Welbeck is.

"If you look astatine nan guardant options successful Tuchel's past squad location aren't galore evident stand-ins for Harry Kane," Alan Shearer told BBC Sport.

"Anthony Gordon, Jarrod Bowen, Bukayo Saka aren't going to capable that domiciled and Ollie Watkins hasn't been firing for Aston Villa, truthful immoderate English striker scoring goals successful nan Premier League is going to beryllium talked about.

"It's 7 years since Welbeck's past headdress and he's 35 this period but Tuchel isn't worried astir nan future. His only attraction is nan six weeks of nan World Cup truthful there's nary logic why Welbeck couldn't beryllium progressive if he keeps scoring and stays wounded free."

Injuries person disrupted overmuch of Welbeck's profession and arguably prevented him from adding to his 42 England caps, but he now founds himself successful nan beneficial position of being capable to lend goals connected nan transportation and activity disconnected it.

"I'm loving it present astatine Brighton, I've been very important, integral, connected and disconnected nan pitch," added Welbeck.

"I'm enjoying nan elder domiciled arsenic well, I cognize really important it was for maine arsenic a youngster coming done having elder members you tin speak to, travel to for advice, it helped maine massively.

"It's travel afloat circle now, I'm location to walk connected proposal to youngsters and thief those astir me. It's been beautiful seamless slipping into this role."

Welbeck precocious told BBC Radio 5 Live that "the doorway is ever open" pinch England.

He added: "I cognize that if I'm called upon past I'd emotion to do nan job, but honestly it doesn't travel into my reasoning astatine nan moment. I'm conscionable focused connected Brighton, winning games and picking up points."

While Welbeck has played down his chances, Onuoha, who has played against Welbeck successful nan past, believes he knows Tuchel will beryllium willing successful him.

"You almost talk astir him for illustration he has ne'er played for England before. He has done that occupation before," Onuoha said.

"With nan floor plan he has, he could decidedly suit Tuchel's style arsenic such. For personification to beryllium successful that form, he knows he is going to beryllium portion of nan conversation."

Rob: Welbeck needs to beryllium successful nan England squad. He tin still connection a lot. I'm not saying her starts matches, but he's a very bully action to have.

Clive: A batch of group calling for Welbeck to beryllium successful England squad but only 7.4% person him successful their imagination team. Get him successful sharpish.

Josh: I'd return Welbeck for England complete immoderate different English striker speech from Kane successful his existent form.

Bob: We request to beryllium bringing younger strikers through, not trawling clubs for aged players having a bully season.

Harry: I deliberation portion of Welbeck's longevity is astir nan truth that he only has 1 point to attraction connected - nan league. I deliberation if we threw him into nan England squad and Brighton made Europe, we'd spot him struggle a bit. I emotion nan feline but I'm not sure.

Stephen: Get Danny Welbeck successful nan World Cup squad.