Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler stayed schtum on veteran striker Danny Welbeck’s future with the club at a pre-match press conference.
Hürzeler was tight-lipped when asked about the 35-year-old former Manchester United and Arsenal frontman is out of contract at the end of the season.
But with Welbeck entering the final six months of his current deal, the German was giving little away on what might lie ahead for a key player.
As the Seagulls prepared for the league trip to West Ham United tomorrow Tuesday (30 December), Hürzeler told a press conference: “We never speak about any personal situation of a player in public.
“We all know how important Danny Welbeck is. He knows it. The club knows it. So let’s see what happens.”
Welbeck is in line to start at the London Stadium after recovering from a lower back injury – and he could be joined in the squad by Kaoru Mitoma.
The Japan international is available after being sidelined by illness as Albion were beaten 2-1 at Arsenal on Saturday (27 December).
The Seagulls travel to the London Stadium to meet opponents five points adrift of safety after they were beaten 1-0 at home by Fulham on Saturday – their third defeat on the trot.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have taken just three points from their past seven games but one of them came from a 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium on Sunday 7 December.
On that occasion, Brighton needed a last-gasp Georginio Rutter strike to claim a 1-1 draw.
Hürzeler said: “We know how difficult it is to beat them from the game at the Amex a few weeks ago.
“They proved it against Fulham on Saturday. I think they deserved to win this game and therefore we know that they will be a really tough opponent.”
