Albion striker Danny Welbeck feels there’s a lot more to come from the squad next season.
The experienced forward, who arrived from Watford in 2020, penned a new two-year contract last month, and was only too happy to commit his future to the club.
“I’ve had an amazing time here,” he said. “Each season has been special, and we’ve progressed every year. A couple more key acquisitions for the squad will help us push on next season and then I am pretty sure we can achieve some more special moments.”
While Albion were pipped to a top-ten finish in the Premier League last season, missing out on a return to the European stage in the process, the 33-year-old still saw plenty of positives to take from the campaign.
“There have been a lot of plus points from the performances, even if the results haven’t been as good as we would have liked,” he added. “There’s been a lot of injuries with really important players missing throughout the season. It was our first season in Europe as well, so juggling that, the two games in a week, with a depleted squad was really difficult.
“Taking all that into consideration, we’ve still done remarkably well to finish where we did and we should be proud because of the many difficult challenges we’ve faced. Yes, we wanted to be higher, but it doesn’t take away from what we’ve actually achieved.”
With the extra games, travelling and changes to the matchday squad last season, a positive working environment was essential, and Welbeck is quick to highlight the team spirit that’s been engendered over recent seasons.
“We’ve got a good mentality and that filters its way right through the squad. Everybody wants to be as good as they can be and to push the team as high as possible. As a team we want to keep on progressing, keep on improving each season.”
He may be in his early thirties, with almost 500 career appearances to his name, but as we get ever closer to the new fixture list being released next Tuesday 18 June, ‘Welbz’ still gets the same buzz of anticipation as he did all those years ago as a young player at Manchester United.
“I’m already looking forward to the new season and I’m feeling good, I’m feeling really strong and don’t feel like I’m easing up at all.
“I always remember Paul McGuinness, my U18s manager at the Manchester United academy, saying: ‘Play the game, not the occasion’ and that’s always stuck with me – that’s the way I go about it. It’s always an amazing feeling to play in the Premier League, no matter who the opposition, but you are there to do a job and not just to participate.
“You always have to adapt [as you get older] but there’s a lot more to come from me. I’m raring to go again!”