Manchester United's Danny Welbeck a transfer target for Hull as Old Trafford bench looms

Tigers poised to sell Long and launch club-record raid for England striker who looks set to struggle for game-time if Van Gaal starts Rooney and Van Persie

Matthew Peters

Lion to Tigers? Move to Hull could help Welbeck protect his England place

Hull are ready to make a record-busting move for Manchester United’s England World Cup striker Danny Welbeck.

Steve Bruce will have to pay around £14million for Welbeck, who has been told his chances of first-team action will be limited under new boss Louis van Gaal just weeks after he started for the Three Lions against Italy and Uruguay in Brazil.

Bruce is after a replacement for Shane Long, who is a shock £12m target for Southampton just months after joining the Yorkshire side from West Brom in the January window.

And the Tigers' chief hopes Van Gaal will make a bold decision and cash in on Welbeck as he re-shapes the Old Trafford giants' squad with players of his own choosing.

Welbeck wants to keep himself in England manager Roy Hodgson’s plans, with Euro 2016 qualifying getting under way next month.

New United captain Wayne Rooney and Van Gaal's Holland World Cup skipper Robin van Persie are already pencilled in as the forward line in the Dutchman's 3-5-2 formation.

And with no European football this season to stretch the squad, Welbeck will likely spend a lot of Premier League time on the bench.

Hull were surprised by the Saints;' interest in Long and are actively chasing a striker to take over from the Republic of Ireland international, with Welbeck at the top of the list and Watford's Troy Deeney an alternative.

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Red leaders: Welbeck rivals Van Persie and Rooney have both been made captain by Van Gaal

 

Elsewhere, United have suffered a devastating injury blow with Luke Shaw ruled out for a minimum of four weeks before he has kicked a ball in anger for his new club.

After being castigated by Van Gaal over his fitness levels and made to train on his own, left-back Shaw has now been struck down with a hamstring injury.

Coming before he has made his competitive debut after a huge £30m move from Southampton, the blow will merely add fuel to the flames fanned by Old Trafford’s new manager.

Shaw was due to play against Valencia on Tuesday night, but was pulled out of the final pre-season friendly of the summer after picking up the knock in training.

Van Gaal is now certain to pursue his interest in Argentina World Cup star Marcos Rojo.

 

United have already made a £16m offer to Sporting Lisbon for the versatile defender, who can play left-back and centrally, and that is now likely to followed up with an improved bid the Portuguese side will find it hard to refuse.

The former Holland coach is also still pursuing his World Cup jack-of-all-trades Daley Blind, who can also play at centre half, left back and in a midfield holding role, to potentially offer more competition and pressure for young Shaw.