According to rumours, Manchester United has no plans to make a permanent deal with Wout Weghorst this summer. The 30-year-old striker’s had a loan from Burnley to the Red Devils during the January transfer window.
After Cristiano Ronaldo left Old Trafford in November Erik ten Hag made a bid for the Dutchman. Since then, Weghorst has started every game for Man United in every competition, although he has only scored once, in a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the EFL Cup semifinal last month.
The majority of his appearances have been as a centre striker, but he has also played behind in-form attacker Marcus Rashford in the number 10 position.
Although Weghorst has lately received praise from Ten Hag for the “very good job” he is doing for the team since his arrival, a long-term stay at Old Trafford may not be in the Dutch international’s future.
Football Insider claims that it is doubtful that Man United will sign Weghorst permanently in the summer.
There is no commitment to purchase the striker from Burnley at the end of the current campaign; it is believed that the Red Devils paid roughly £2.5 million to loan him to them.
Hence, Weghorst might be playing for Burnley next season, as Vincent Kompany’s team is presently in the lead for the Championship and a guaranteed return to the Premier League.
Gary Neville comments on Wout Weghorst
The impact Weghorst has had on Man United is well known, and former Red Devils right-back Gary Neville has complemented the striker’s work ethic ever since he accepted a “critical job” in Ten Hag’s group.
After United’s 3-0 victory over Leicester City on Sunday, the 48-year-old remarked on The Gary Neville Podcast:
“I love Wout Wehghorst. We shouldn’t laugh, but there are times today… You have to admire Erik ten Hag picking him for every single match.”
“I asked Ten Hag about that before the game. He feels he brings something to the team, and I can see why. Man United last season, there was this debate about whether or not they could press with Cristiano Ronaldo. They couldn’t close down from the front. They couldn’t press. You have to be able to press in the modern game.”
“What Weghorst does, he’s very good in transition. He’s very good at defending set pieces. He’s very good when they’re in shape and he’s watching space.”
“He’s doing a vital job for a team that has got a lot of attacking talent. That’s why he’s playing every week.”
When Man United hosts Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League playoff matchup on Thursday, Weghorst will be trying to keep his spot in the starting lineup.
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