sport news Man United target Wout Weghorst: Everything you need to know about the 6ft 5in ... trends now
Erik ten Hag has registered an interest in signing Wout Weghorst during the January transfer window as he is eager to strength his Manchester United squad for the remainder of the campaign.
But there has been debate over whether United should sign the 30-year-old on loan, especially given Burnley pawned the striker off on Besiktas after he struggled to prove himself in the Premier League during the 2021-2022 season.
So, with the above in mind, Sportsmail have taken a look at Weghorst's career and outlined everything you need to know about the Manchester United target.
Erik ten Hag has registered an interest in signing Wout Weghorst during the January window
Wout Weghorst is a 30-year-old Dutch striker that has caught the attention of Premier League giants United after starring in the Turkish Super Lig.
The Manchester United boss wants to strengthen his attacking line during the current window
Weghorst signed his first professional contract in 2012 when he joined Eerste Divisie club Emmen and made his debut on August 10 against Dordrecht.
Weghorst performed well during Emmen's 1-1 draw with Dordrecht and went on to become an integral part of the team.
He scored his first goal in professional football a month later, in the derby against Veendam. His contribution helped Emmen claim a 2-1 win.
Weghorst signed his first professional contract in 2012 and is currently playing for Besiktas
Weghorst went on to sign for Heracles Almelo before joining AZ Alkmaar. He scored 45 goals in 86 games before moving on to Wolfsburg in 2018.
Burnley signed Weghorst from Wolfsburg for £12million in January 2022. The Clarets were impressed with the Dutch striker after he scored 70 goals in 144 games for the German club - so much so that they offered the Dutch forward a three-and-a-half year contract.
But Weghorst was sent out on loan on July 5, 2022 after scoring just two goals for the Clarets and he signed for Istanbul-based outfit Besiktas until the end of the 2022-2023 campaign.
Why did Weghorst flop at Burnley?Burnley were expecting big things from Weghorst after his move from Wolfsburg. However, the 30-year-old struggled to prove his worth, scoring just two goals for the Clarets.
Burnley fans were understandably disappointed with Weghorst's contribution during the 2021-2022 campaign, when he registered just 30 shots on target and missed six big chances.
He also gave away 30 fouls, picked up three yellow cards and was caught offside nine times during his dismal time at Turf Moor.
As a result, Weghorst was unable to stop Burnley from being relegated from the English top-flight.
Burnley were expecting big things from Weghorst when he joined from Wolfsburg
Weghorst hoped the change of scenery would inspire an up-turn in form and it's safe to say it did as the Dutchman has been a standout performer for the Istanbul-based outfit.
The 30-year-old has eight goals in 16 appearances and is the player with the most expected goals (9.8), most touches in the opposition box (118) and the most shots on target (23).
According to Opta, he also topped the charts for the most headed shots (15) in the Turkish Super Lig this season.
Weghorst was sent out on loan after struggling to find his feet with Burnley. He signed for Turkish side Besiktas until the end of the season
United desperately need to replace Cristiano Ronaldo and add depth to their attacking line for the remainder of the season.
Ronaldo's position at the club became untenable after he criticised the club, the Glazers, manager Erik ten Hag and his team-mates in a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
While most agree it was the correct course of action - for both parties - his departure has nonetheless left a gaping hole in United's attack. In fact, they needed reinforcements in that area when Ronaldo was still at the club, let alone
