Manchester United reach agreement with Besiktas over Wout Weghorst loan

Club will pay Besiktas €3m to end his loan in Turkey early

UNITED-BOUND: Wout Weghorst of the Netherlands, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup quarterfina. Pic: AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan.

Manchester United have reached a verbal agreement to sign Wout Weghorst. They have a deal in principle to pay Besiktas about €3m (£2.7m) to end the striker’s loan early and take him from his parent club Burnley for the rest of the season.

Besiktas will give final approval only if they find a suitable replacement for the Netherlands international, who has scored eight goals in 16 Turkish league games and was due to complete the campaign there.

Weghorst appeared to wave goodbye to Besiktas fans last Saturday against Kasimpasa but the club will not let him go unless their requirements are met. Their prime target is Vincent Aboubakar, the Cameroon striker who is at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Erik ten Hag regards Weghorst as an ideal solution for a stopgap centre-forward with United working this month to a limited budget. The 30-year-old has scored twice in 20 Premier League games for Burnley and at 6ft 6in would bring a different dimension to United’s attack.

Ten Hag has said there is a “need” for him to sign a forward in the push for Champions League qualification. Cristiano Ronaldo left before Christmas and the manager said: “I think we have a good team when all the players are available. But with many games coming up, I think there is a need.” 

Weghorst has scored five goals in 19 Netherlands appearances, including two at the Qatar World Cup against Argentina.

Guardian