Following the conclusion of the Cristiano Ronaldo saga at Manchester United in November, the Red Devils left themselves with a crucial task in the January transfer window: bring in a centre-forward to replace him.
A supporter's biggest concern about acquiring a striker in the mid-season window is that you are always likely to pay over the top for a player in contrast to the summer. Inflated transfer fees are demanded by selling clubs to give themselves insurance to try and find a replacement for the player they are willing to sell.
This is why the January transfer market is the most frustrating for all parties because it takes a lot longer for deals to get over the line and in a lot of cases they collapse. For a lot of clubs nowadays, they use this window to procure a short-term option for their side to get them through the second half of the season while giving themselves time to devise a plan for the summer when the market calms down.
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Over the past week, United have been linked with a potential loan move for Besiktas striker Wout Weghorst, who is currently on loan from Burnley. Manager Erik ten Hag made it clear as soon as Ronaldo left that he would be in the market for a striker this month and that the club needed to be “creative” in their search.
It seems like there is some substance to the 30-year-old forward’s links with a move to Old Trafford. In his latest match for Besiktas, Weghorst went over to the fans at full-time seemingly waving goodbye to them which suggested that there is a good chance we could see him make a return to the Premier League in the coming weeks.
Seeing their side linked with a player who is on loan from Championship Burnley, some fans have turned their noses up at the potential acquisition of the Dutchman but they should trust Ten Hag if he is the player he wants. Ten Hag will be questioned for profiling a striker of Weghorst’s stature given that his philosophy is built around pressing, but the truth is Weghorst ticks all the boxes.
While Burnley may have been relegated from the top-flight last term and Weghorst was only there for five months, he boasted the most presses per 90 in the division with 48.7. Once again, Ten Hag knows exactly what he’s doing.
During his short spell for the Clarets, Weghorst scored twice and set up three goals, having been involved in seven Bundesliga goals with Wolfsburg in the first half of the campaign. In 2020-21, he scored 20 times and assisted nine goals in the German top-flight, highlighting he can be prolific in front of goal.
This season, Weghorst has contributed eight goals and four assists in the Turkish Super Lig and he has been a standout star for Besiktas. He has the highest Expected Goals (9.8), most touches in the opposition box (118), most shots on target (23), joint-most shots (52) and most headed shots (15).
With those impressive stats and his pressing numbers from last year, Weghorst could prove to be a shrewd piece of business for United this month and fans should give him a chance when he signs. It is also worth noting that he came off the bench to score twice for the Netherlands in their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.
Whether he were to start for United or come on from the bench, he is a player who can have an impact and help change the game. Weghorst would not only add some much-needed depth to Ten Hag’s forward options but he also offers a different dynamic to that of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford with his aerial presence and physicality. The Old Trafford faithful should give him a chance and trust Ten Hag's judgement.
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