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Arsene Wenger reveals he would have preferred to sign Welbeck to loan deal

John Sibley / Action Images

After explaining the series of events leading up to Danny Welbeck's transfer to Arsenal from Manchester United in August, Arsene Wenger revealed his initial intention was to sign the English striker on loan before the transfer deadline.

When asked if he would have preferred to sign Welbeck on loan, Wenger said "with an option to buy, yes."

Instead, the London club ended up signing Welbeck to a permanent deal for five years with a £16 million transfer fee paid to United.

Wenger made another surprising revelation ahead of the team's critical match against Manchester City, saying that if he were in England, instead of Italy - where he was managing a charity match - during the final day of the summer transfer window, he would not have signed Welbeck. Wenger, however, failed to give a detailed explanation.

"If I'd stayed at home he wouldn't be here now," Wenger said, per the BBC.

It remains to be seen whether Welbeck will make his Arsenal debut Saturday as Wenger says he would like to assess the squad before making a decision.

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