Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck says he owes his success on and off the pitch to the club's academy.

Welbeck admits he feels privileged to have come through the United system.

He told the Telegraph: "They produce very respectful young men. All the players who have come through the academy, you don't see any big-headed players.'' Senior players such as Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville helped. "They were top class when I was coming through, always there to give invaluable advice, let you know to keep your feet on the floor.

"My role model has been Ryan Giggs ever since I was a young kid. I love the way he plays. I was eight when he scored that goal against Arsenal [in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final]. I just thought 'Wow! I want to be Ryan Giggs.' When I first trained with him, I was in disbelief. Then I got the chance to play with him. There's nothing better than playing alongside your role models.

"Ryan Giggs has that great desire. He still wants to win every single training match. Even if it's possession, he wants his team to have the ball most. To see that is really encouraging for the young players to know how much it still means to them. Every United player just wants to get better and better. Wazza [Wayne Rooney] has a great desire.

"It's infectious. I see him giving his all and it makes me want to give my all as well. He's a wonderful talent. I'm training and playing with world-class players."