The Dutch striker who scored two goals for the Netherlands in the World Cup to send a match with Argentina to extra time will now be paying at Old Trafford. Wout Weghorst, a Dutch international, was on loan at Bestikas from Burnley until recently. The loan deal with Besiktas was canceled and Burnley has reloaned the striker to Manchester United. This isn’t necessarily the signing that gets fans ecstatic and it may not be any sort of solution. But, the signing is good considering its almost free. And Weghorst will reinforce a front line lacking any sort of true number 9.
Whether fans like it or not, this is a signing United needed. Weghorst is a more than capable striker who truly does ‘offer us something different’, to use the old cliché. United haven’t had what I’d consider a proper classic number 9 in the side since Romelu Lukaku. I’d argue Weghorst has a much higher work rate than Lukaku. Weghorst has scored 8 goals this season in 16 appearances for Besiktas. This signing may amount to nothing in the end but its a signing with a load of potential.
Wolfsburg Career
Wout Weghorst is most known for his time in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg who he left for Burnley during the latter half of the pandemic. Weghorst scored 59 goals in 118 appearances for Wolfsburg. That means Weghorst averaged a goal every other game for a team that is far below the standard of many other clubs. Averaging 0.5 goals a game for a club like Wolfsburg is no easy feat.
In his time with Wolfsburg Weghorst truly came into his own. He had always played as a proper number 9 but his time in the Bundesliga established him as one of the best ‘target men’ in the world. Weghorst has a tremendous ability to hold up play. He is also more often than not the most aerial dominant player on the pitch. The 2020-21 season for Wolfsburg saw a return of 20 goals in 34 appearances. Other than the likes of Lewandowski and Erling Haaland, Wout Weghorst was probably the best striker in the Bundesliga from 2018-2021.
Due to controversy surrounding his vaccination status and other problems stemming from the pandemic, Weghorst was sold to Burnley in 2022.
Burnley
Wout Weghorst joined Burnley in the midst of the 2021/22 EPL season. A year in which Burnley were attempting to fight off relegation. This was not an ideal situation for the Dutchman to walk into but due to the vaccination mandates in Germany he had to make the move. Needless to say it did not workout for him at Burnley as he managed only 2 goals for the club, but much of this cannot be put on Weghorst.
Burnley are not a team that creates chances regularly and their strikers are often playing with their backs to goal. So, to label Weghorst as an absolute ‘failure’ for Burnley just wouldn’t be accurate. One very interesting thing to note is that in the 2021/22 EPL season, Weghorst averaged more pressures per 90 minutes than any other player in the league. He may not have scored many goals for a side that doesn’t score many goals but it was not for a lack of work rate.
Manchester United
Wout Weghorst has now officially signed and been introduced for Manchester United. With Ronaldo gone and Martial continuing to battle injury, expect to see Weghorst start more matches than not. Weghorst has been labeled as an excellent goal ‘poacher’ throughout his career and has always been an excellent presser of the ball. Within a side like Manchester United, I for one, expect to see Weghorst score at least 10 goals in just this latter half of the season.
Eric ten Hag wanted Weghorst and he has earned everyone’s trust. Weghorst is not a flashy signing and not the signing United fans wanted but he is what we needed considering the financial situation at the club. The manager believes Weghorst will prove all of his doubters wrong.
We can’t say for sure how Weghorst’s time at Old Trafford will play out, obviously. But the striker comes with many attributes this United side has lacked in a number 9 for many years. Weghorst will out press any other striker in the league. He will dominate in the air, hold up play better than most and is a true set piece threat. Only time will tell how this all plays out but Weghorst wants to be at Manchester United and he will give it everything he has.
“Whatever happens in the next few months, I can promise to give everything to the club for as long as I am here. I thank everyone who has played a part in getting me to this stage, and now I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and getting involved straight away.” -Wout Weghorst 2023
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12783402/wout-weghorst-manchester-united-complete-loan-deal-for-burnley-striker-after-besiktas-agreement-terminated
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