Manchester United are investigating the possibility of signing Burnley striker Wout Weghorst on loan.
United have been in the market for a striker to provide attacking cover for Marcus Rashford and are understood to have made initial contact with Burnley to see if a deal is possible.
Netherlands international Weghorst moved to Burnley on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Wolfsburg on transfer deadline day in January 2022, but left last summer to join Istanbul side Besiktas on a one-year loan after finding the back of the net just twice for the Clarets.
Weghorst remains on loan at Besiktas for now, and any deal could be complicated as it would require both clubs to agree to an end to Weghorst’s loan.
The towering 6ft 6in striker scored for Besiktas in their win over Kasimpas in the Super League on Saturday and appeared to be waving an emotional goodbye to the club’s supporters.
Besiktas head coach Senol Gunes said after the game: “Weghorst is an important player for us. It’s not enough to say goodbye to the crowd. He also needs to talk to the club.
“I have heard of such a development, but it is not clear. I will consider it [him] I’m leaving after talking to him and the club.”
Weghorst scored one of the most dramatic goals of the World Cup, scoring the equalizer deep into stoppage time in the Netherlands’ quarter-final against Argentina, before the Dutch were eventually beaten on penalties.
The loan is thought to be a focus for United in this window – with the intention of revisiting the position in the summer when there will be more options available.
Last summer, they were looking for a player of Weghorst’s profile – they were interested in Saša Kalajdžić and Benjamin Šešek.
Ten Hag: Martial can’t handle the load – we need another striker
Why is Man Utd only looking for loans? Analysis from The Transfer Show panel
Speaking on Friday, Ten Hag said he must bring in attacking cover for Marcus Rashford as Anthony Martial struggles with the workload.
Martial had an interrupted pre-season and was unable to complete 90 minutes this term due to a season-ending injury.
“There is a reason [Martial has been substituted in his last seven games]. That’s because he can’t control the load,” Ten Hag said. “That’s why we’re looking for another striker.
“It’s not that we don’t rely on him. His physical workload is not, at the moment, so great that he can play a 90-minute game every third day. So I have to solve that together with him.
“We are on a fine line at the moment because Anthony Martial’s qualities are so important to our game at the moment. His movements, his security of the ball, his pressing, let’s not forget that. We need that profile to be a threat.
“Also, Marcus Rashford benefits from that. So I’m not worried that it’s only Marcus scoring goals, because I’m sure the other players [can score too].
“Not only Anthony Martial, but Antony scored [in the 3-1 FA Cup win against Everton]. Bruno Fernandes is also very capable of scoring goals, Christian Eriksen will create and is also capable of scoring goals. So we have more players who can score goals.”
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