Why a Permanent Transfer Is Ideal for Arsenal and Danny Welbeck

This weekend, Danny Welbeck will make his debut as an Arsenal player. Nearly two weeks have passed since he completed his move from Manchester United, during which time Welbeck’s stock has risen considerably on the back of his impressive international displays.

On Saturday, he will line up against the blue side of Manchester for his new club.

At his pre-match press conference at London Colney, manager Arsene Wenger spoke somewhat cryptically about the Welbeck signing. Responding to criticism of his decision to travel to Rome for a charity match on deadline day, Wenger suggested his trip was actually integral to the deal. As reported by the Guardian, the Gunners boss declared:

"

If I had not been away on deadline day, Welbeck would not have signed. That’s the truth. It was quick because it was the last day of the transfer window but I had no hesitation to do it.

I thought when they [United] bought Falcao they had to let somebody go. I was not aware of the start that he would be available, it was quick, but I had no hesitation to do it.

"

Wenger enjoys playing with the press. However, there may well be a fundamental truth at the heart of his words. There are myriad factors in any transfer deal. Being in Italy may have facilitated the deals in ways we can only imagine.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

When quizzed as to whether he would have preferred a loan deal for Welbeck, his answer was similarly intriguing:

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With an option to buy yes. In the end, when it was a permanent transfer or loan with an option to buy, I was happy to buy permanently.

At start of day, he was only available on loan. At the end of the day, I agreed.

"

It seems every avenue was explored in the course of transfer deadline day. However, in the end both Wenger and Welbeck were happy to go for a permanent deal.

That’s undeniably the right decision. Welbeck has already had two loan spells in his career, at Preston and Sunderland. What he needs now is a permanent home.

Uncertainty is what forced him out of United: there were doubts over his first-team place, and doubts over his preferred position on the field. Arsenal need to provide him with some solid foundations.

Welbeck has signed for the next five years. He will spend the prime years of his career in north London. Wenger has also assured Welbeck that he sees him primarily as a central striker. He told the official Arsenal website:

"

Danny Welbeck is an ideal signing for us because he can play through the middle, which I think is his best position, but as well on the flanks.

His qualities are his team attitude and his pace as well. As you could see with England, his goalscoring too. When you analyse his game you think he has the qualities to play through the middle.

"

With that kind of security, Welbeck should have the confidence and conviction required to excel at Arsenal. A loan spell can sometimes feel problematic and purgatorial. In a permanent transfer, the commitment of all parties is not in doubt.

There is another benefit to the Gunners paying upfront for Welbeck. Had they only taken him on loan, a successful spell in London might have seen United demanding him back. For a boy raised supporting the Red Devils, that would have been difficult to resist.

Now, that’s of no concern. Welbeck belongs to Arsenal, and there's no longer anything United can do about it. The England striker has the clean break he needed. A goal this weekend would christen his Arsenal career in the perfect fashion.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout the 2014/15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.