Wayne Rooney urges Thomas Tuchel to LEAVE OUT Harry Kane for in-form Danny Welbeck
Former England striker Wayne Rooney is backing his old Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck to make a sensational Three Lions comeback after seven years in the international wilderness
Wayne Rooney believes Thomas Tuchel should leave Harry Kane out of his next England squad and call up Danny Welbeck. England have already secured qualification for World Cup 2026 but have two more qualifiers to play, against Serbia at Wembley and against Albania in Tirana.
And Rooney reckons Tuchel will have more to gain by giving his captain a break and reintroducing Welbeck, who turns 35 in a couple of weeks’ time. Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube and iPlayer, the former Manchester United striker said: “The next couple of England games, I wouldn’t even call Harry Kane up. Give him a rest.
"There are not many opportunities from now until the end of the season when he gets a rest. Let him rest and go and look at (Danny) Welbeck, or (Ollie) Watkins or Ivan Toney. Whoever it is he wants to look at, give these players the opportunity to try and play.”
Kane is unlikely to accept the idea of being rested for England as he strives to set an unbeatable goals record, having scored 76 so far. And he will have his eye on Peter Shilton’s all-time caps record.
With 110, Kane is currently 15 short of the mark set by Shilton. But even with Kane in the squad, Rooney believes the rejuvenated Welbeck, who has made 42 England appearances, should be given a recall SEVEN YEARS after his last outing in a Three Lions jersey.
Rooney said: “I absolutely love Daniel. For some reason I always call him Daniel. On the pitch when we played next to each other I always called him Daniel.
"I love him and he’s been such a good player in the Premier League. He scores goals, he works hard, he’s having a purple patch and he’s put himself in a position where Thomas Tuchel will definitely have to look at him.
"Behind Kane he is the most in-form England striker. I am pleased for him because he had injuries throughout his career that hampered him but he seems to be able to stay fit now and he has shown his ability and what he can do.”
Welbeck, whose last cap came against Switzerland in a friendly in 2018, has scored six goals in his last five Premier League appearances for Brighton. And Rooney is convinced he would be a fantastic squad member for Tuchel.
Rooney - who was once dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson so that Welbeck could play in a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid - went on: “I think Daniel, a bit like Jordan Henderson, would use his experience around the players. He has been a popular player wherever he's been.
“He also has the ability to come on and have an impact. If you’re Tuchel you definitely have to be looking at him and I hope he does.”
Rooney played with Welbeck at Manchester United for several years and is a huge admirer of both the player AND the person, saying: “He was brilliant, such a lovely person. When he played he pressed really high, he was aggressive, he was quick to get to the ball, really clever, has good feet and he scored goals.
"I do have to say the best thing about Daniel is his mother used to bring me chicken and rice every Thursday. It was so nice. I used to always look forward to that. I couldn’t speak highly enough of him.”
Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube & iPlayer, listen on BBC Sounds. Episodes drop every Friday & Monday morning.
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