Erik ten Hag has already stated unequivocally that Wout Weghorst meets all of his requirements for a striker.
According to a Saturday article in The Manchester Evening News, United is moving forward with a possible loan deal for Weghorst. The club is keeping an eye on the 30-year-old Burnley forward, who is now on loan at Besiktas, as they search for a temporary fix to their striker dilemma following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit.
Ten Hag has been warned against repeating the kind of spending that saw six new players come at Old Trafford before the September 1 deadline despite the drop in the pay cost of £16 million that came with Ronaldo’s departure after spending £225 million in the summer transfer window.
Although the news caught many people off guard, the Weghorst acquisition has several advantages. It’s tempting to focus on his two goals in 20 Premier League outings with Burnley, but this overlooks the bigger picture.
In 16 league games for Besiktas this season, the 6ft 6in (1.97m) forward has eight goals and four assists. Weghorst made headlines at the World Cup when he scored two late goals in the Netherlands’ thrilling quarter-final against Argentina, sending the game to extra time and, eventually, penalties. Despite the fact that Louis van Gaal’s side lost on penalties, Weghorst made no mistake from 12-yards out.
Weghorst would physically tower over the rest of Ten Hag’s front line, as no United forward presently stands taller than 5ft 11in. Although it is easy to dismiss him as a target man, the United boss recognizes that his nuanced skill with the ball at his feet is critical to his tactical set-up.
Ten Hag’s first coaching post was with Dutch club Go Ahead Eagles in 2012/13. He led the team to their first promotion in 17 years during his one and only season with the club.
Marnix Kolder, who headed the Go Ahead Eagles’ line under Ten Hag, understands how important he was as the team’s target man under the current United manager.
“I was the ‘escape’,” he told The Independent. “When the ball was pressured at the back, the long ball from the keeper or the central defender came to me.
“I don’t know the word in English – a coat stand? The ‘kapstok’. It’s a typical word in Dutch. The big person they can play the balls to, then you play to the midfielders or to the side.”
Despite being older than Weghorst, Kolder averaged a goal every other game under Ten Hag. And this tactical setup was not a one-time occurrence at Go Ahead Eagles.
Ten Hag used former West Ham United striker Sebastian Haller as a towering, powerful focal point at FC Utretcht. Although technically very different players, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Kasper Dolberg performed a similar duty for the now-United head coach when leading the line for his team before he was reunited with Haller.
Ten Hag looks for his centre forwards to be able to connect up play and bring in those around them. Weghorst will be expected to use his physicality and technique to include Marcus Rashford and Antony on either wing as much as as, according to United manager Jose Mourinho.
Although there is no indication that Anthony Martial would lose his starting spot due to a sudden tactical change, the signing of Weghorst would give United with a fresh attacking dynamic and good competition for the Frenchman.
Many people were caught off guard by a deal for Weghorst, which is still in the works. But, when you scratch the surface, the Burnley man possesses all of the attributes that Ten Hag seeks.
Ten Hag is the only one who can get the most out of Weghorst.