Brighton keen to retain 'fantastic' Welbeck: Potter

(Reuters) - Brighton & Hove Albion are keen to retain Danny Welbeck and will sit down with the striker when his contract expires at the end of the season, manager Graham Potter said.

Welbeck, who joined Brighton on a free transfer in October, has bagged two goals and an assist in his last three games for the Premier League club after being sidelined for more than a month due to a knee injury.

"Frustrated to lose him in the middle part of the season but regardless of that, he's been fantastic around the group," Potter said.

"He has the respect of everybody in the club and if you look at his goals when he's been on the pitch, his return has been really positive.

"He's a player we are of course going to sit down with at the end of the season and find the right solution for everybody."

Welbeck penned a one-year-deal with Brighton after being released by Watford when the club were relegated from the top flight last season. He previously played for Manchester United and Arsenal in a career often blighted by injury.

He has 42 caps for England with 16 goals but has not played for his country since 2018.

Brighton, who are 16th in the league, host Everton on Monday.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)