Brighton & Hove Albion have announced that striker Danny Welbeck has signed a new two-year contract with the club.
The 31-year-old was due to see his original deal expire in 12 months' time, but he has now committed his future to the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2024.
A recent report from the Independent claimed that Manchester United held internal discussions over the possibility of luring Welbeck back to Old Trafford, where he began his career and spent seven years in the senior team.
However, the Manchester-born striker is happy on the South coast and is regarded as a "leader" by Brighton head coach Graham Potter.
Speaking to the club's official website on Welbeck's new deal, Potter said, "Danny has been brilliant for us from the moment he arrived. He became a part of the group quickly and has become a real leader.
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"He uses his experience to help the group and is a great role model for the younger players.
"On the pitch he has been really important for us, he gives so much to the team and I am looking forward to continuing working with Danny in the coming seasons."
Welbeck joined Brighton on a free transfer in October 2020 after leaving Watford and has made a total of 53 appearances across all competitions.
After scoring six goals and providing three assists in his first season at the club, the experienced striker recorded the same figures in the Premier League last term.
Welbeck struggled with a hamstring injury at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, but he ended the campaign in fine form, contributing with three goals and three assists in Brighton's final five top-flight games.
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The 42-cap England international has since made an impressive start to the new season and provided an assist for Pascal Gross's opening goal in their 2-1 victory away at Man United earlier this month.
While Neal Maupay continues to be linked with a possible move away from the club, amid reported interest from both Fulham and Nottingham Forest, Welbeck appears to be Potter's first choice to lead the line as a central striker ahead of new recruits Deniz Undav and Julio Enciso.
Now that Welbeck has committed his future to the club, Brighton are expected to hold contract talks with a number of other first-team players in the coming months as there are 12 senior players who have just a year remaining on their existing deals.
Maupay, Leandro Trossard, Alexis Mac Allister, Joel Veltman and Adam Lallana are among those who will see their current contracts expire in the summer of 2023.
Brighton, who have picked up four points from their opening two Premier League fixtures, are now preparing for Sunday's trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham United.
Oliver Thomas
