Fabian Hürzeler wants Danny Welbeck to stay as Brighton plan beyond this season

Brighton have made their position clear on Danny Welbeck’s future, with head coach Fabian Hürzeler confirming he wants the striker to remain at the club beyond the end of the season as his contract continues to tick down.

Welbeck will return to familiar surroundings on Sunday when Brighton & Hove Albion face Manchester United in the FA Cup third round at Old Trafford, but his long-term future remains a talking point.

Asked directly whether he would like Welbeck to be part of his squad next season, Hürzeler’s answer was emphatic.

“Yes, definitely,” the Brighton boss told Sussex World.

Welbeck, now 35, is out of contract in the summer but has remained a key figure for Brighton this season. He has featured in 20 of their 21 Premier League matches, scoring eight goals from 12 starts, and continues to play an important role despite careful management of his minutes.

Hürzeler explained that Welbeck’s recent rotation has not been driven by a serious injury concern, despite ongoing attention to a lower back issue.

“The restrictions are not regarding his back,” Hürzeler said.

“It’s just a general thing. We’ve managed him quite well through the last 18 months.

“Regarding the statistics, he played the most minutes ever. So I’m very pleased with how the medical department takes care of him and how he takes care of himself.”

Welbeck’s last start came in the 2-2 draw away at West Ham, where he scored one penalty and missed another. Since then, Brighton have opted to manage his workload to avoid unnecessary risk.

Welbeck will be eager to feature against his former side this weekend, but Hürzeler has admitted he cannot start the striker in quick succession during a congested schedule.

“We have to manage him because he’s not capable of starting two games in a row in a short period of time,” he explained.

“I have conversations with him about that. Of course, he’s not always happy, but in the end we need to protect his health.

“The worst thing that could happen is that he gets injured, and that’s what we try to avoid.”

Brighton will weigh up whether Welbeck starts or is used from the bench against United, depending on fitness and match demands.

Hürzeler does have alternatives available. Striker Charalampos Kostoulas is fit again and available for selection, while Joel Veltman has also recovered from a minor issue.

Yankuba Minteh will be assessed after a dead leg and remains a doubt.

Several players are ruled out, including Stefanos Tzimas, Solly March, Adam Webster and Mats Wieffer.

Midfielder Carlos Baleba is expected to return soon from AFCON duty and could be back for the Premier League clash with Bournemouth on January 19 after Cameroon were knocked out by Morocco.

Attention will soon turn to Welbeck’s contract situation, but for now Brighton are focused on keeping him fit and influential through the second half of the season. The FA Cup tie at Old Trafford offers another opportunity for the veteran forward to make his mark — whether from the start or off the bench.

Should Brighton move quickly to extend Danny Welbeck’s contract — or wait until the end of the season to decide his future?