Wout Weghorst: Fabrizio Romano claims Man Utd have ‘full agreement’ as costs emerge and one small hurdle remains
Manchester United have reached a full agreement with Besiktas for the loan signing of Wout Weghorst after Fabrizio Romano revealed the full costs involved over his temporay move to Old Trafford.
Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag has been looking for a new centre forward to add another dimension to his attack. With Cristiano Ronaldo having left in acrimonious circumstances, they lacked another option to offer cover and competition for the second half of the season.
Weghorst will arrive at Old Trafford after an excellent first half of the season with Besiktas. He scored eight times, weighing in with four assists from 16 matches for the Turkish side. And after enjoying an impactful World Cup for the Netherlands, the 30-year-old has now agreed a move to United.
The temporary deal will see United through until the season’s end, with Ten Hag’s side active in four competitions. They face Charlton on Tuesday night for a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. They also face Reading in the FA Cup fourth round, as well as Barcelona in the Europa League.
But their main priorities will lie in the Premier League and securing a top-four finish. As it stands, Ten Hag’s troops are on track, currently sitting fourth.
And the arrival of Weghorst will give Ten Hag the strength in depth he needs.
Not everyone is amused by the signing though with one Dutch legend questioning the logic and describing the loan as a ‘stunt’.
In the long-term, Ten Hag will have his eyes very much focused on other signings. To that end, Tuesday’s Euro Paper Talk claims they want one of three big-name strikers this summer.
Fabrizio Romano reveals all about Wout Weghorst to Man Utd
Per Romano, the 19-times capped striker will remain at Old Trafford for the rest of the season. And the trusted reporter claims United are paying Besiktas around £2.65m (€3m) to sign him on loan. Even though he is effectively on loan from Burnley, the Red Devils owe the money to the Super Lig club in order to break the terms of his loan in Besiktas.
The loan will run until June 30 – standard in all loan deals – with United fully covering his wages for the duration. They are reportedly around £35,000 a week.
However, Romano does say the deal still has one hurdle left to clear: Besiktas’ need to sign a replacement. Indeed, until the Turkish side have an agreement of their own to sign a replacement in their attack, the deal will be placed on hold.
However, the Turkish side do have a few irons in the fire with Vincent Aboubakar – who has been squeezed out at Al-Nassr following the signing of Ronaldo – a serious option.
All being well, however, Weghorst could signed up in time to debut at Crystal Palace on Wednesday January 18. Or possibly, the huge date with Arsenal on Sunday January 22 may be a more realistic target.
Either way, it seems Ten Hag has his man. Standing at 6ft 6in, he provides the Manchester United attack with a very different dimension. Known for his excellent hold-up play and aerial ability, he is a handful for any defender.
He will also prove an invaluable target at set-pieces and will undoubtedly aid United’s push for success this season.
