Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has denied claims that Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck is a January target for his side.
As quoted by Football London, the Eagles manager addressed the media as he looked ahead to his side’s Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.
Hodgson was quizzed over whether or not he was planning to move for England international Welbeck in January, amid reports that a move was being readied by Palace.
The experienced manager was quick to quieten down the speculation, however, and stated that no discussions regarding a move for Welbeck have taken place. Hodgson said:
I must be perfectly honest with you and say that I haven’t had a serious meeting with the scouting department – they are getting on with their work and we have several meetings scheduled later in November and December.
Maybe then they will tell me what they are thinking in various positions, but if you ask me now: ‘Have I spoken about Danny Welbeck or has anyone spoken to me about Danny Welbeck’, the answer is no. So I have no idea where this has come from, you would have to ask the person who wrote it I guess.
Welbeck has not been a prominent figure in Unai Emery’s plans at Arsenal this season, with the Spaniard opting to utilise Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette as his primary attacking options.
The forward was linked with a move away in the summer but no transfer materialised. Ahead of the January transfer window, however, speculation is continuing to build.
