How Sir Alex Ferguson Stopped Former Manchester United Player from Playing for Ghana

• Danny Welbeck, who was born to Ghanaian parents in England, ended up representing the Three Lions
• The former Manchester United player at the beginning of his career had contacts from the Ghana Football Association over nationality switch
• Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly behind the striker's decision to represent England

Danny Welbeck's decision to represent England over Ghana was largely due to persuasions from former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 31-year-old, who now plays for Brighton and Hove Albion, was contacted by the Ghana Football Association in 2011, while on loan at Sunderland.

According to reports, Sir Alex Ferguson persuaded the then 21-year-old to represent England over Ghana if he wanted regular play time at Manchester United.

In a report by Ghanaweb, the player had to make the decision based on his club career despite the competition for places in the English national team.

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During his time at Sunderland, who played alongside Ghana's Sulley Muntari, John Mensah and the famous Asamoah Gyan. The trio tried to convince him to play for Ghana but the attacker wanted to return to Manchester United as a regular, so he opted otherwise.

"My mum and dad are from Ghana so I am eligible (to play for them). I saw a person from the Ghana FA after a Sunderland game once in the players' lounge," he said as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"There's been a lot of talk about it but the guy came round to see John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari.

"I spoke to him briefly after the game and that's all that happened. The other lads have been going on about it but that's all it is."

Ironically, Welbeck ended up making his Three Lions debut in an international friendly between England and Ghana.

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The forward, who was born to Ghanaian parents in Manchester, has made 49 appearances for England, scoring 12 goals.

His last game for the European country was in 2019.

Danny Welcome arrives in Ghana for holidays

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Arsenal superstar Danny Welbeck arrived in Ghana as part of his off-season holidays to visit some family members.

The England striker is of Ghanaian descent as he went back to his African country to enjoy his summer break.

The 26-year-old was previously in Ghana in 2012 and has again returned to the country of his birth to spend some quality time with his relatives.