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Is Wout Weghorst Really Just a Stopgap?

Wout Weghorst of Manchester United
Wout Weghorst of Manchester United. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Wout Weghorst understands he will be "judged" by goals at Manchester United.
Wout Weghorst understands he will be “judged” by goals at Manchester United. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

There were more than a few eyebrows raised when Erik ten Hag added the Dutch international Wout Weghorst to the Manchester United playing staff.

The striker had underwhelmed Burnley to such an extent last season, that he was offloaded on loan rather than be allowed to tackle a Championship promotion campaign.

Two goals in 20 Premier League games for the Clarets was hardly a great endorsement, but Ten Hag had faith in his compatriot.

It’s been reasonable, if unspectacular start at Old Trafford, but is Weghorst merely a stopgap, or does his manager have long-term plans?

Overall Record

Wout Weghorst’s difficult spell at Turf Moor is well documented, but does that ratio of a goal every ten games really do him justice?

Prior to signing with Burnley in January 2022, the Dutchman scored 59 goals in 118 league games over three-and-a-half seasons with VFL Wolfsburg.

The German Bundesliga is a tough division and Weghorst’s average of exactly one goal in every two games is the benchmark for top strikers. Following his difficult time at Burnley, Weghorst maintained that ratio in Turkey with his initial loan club Besiktas.

At international level, Weghorst has so far played in 19 senior games for the Dutch national side and he’s scored five times.

That’s not an exceptional record, but his brace against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup shows that he can make a contribution in the big games.

Weghorst is off the mark for United and there have been some positive signs in his early matches. Can he continue to improve and score important goals as the club looks to finish the campaign strongly?

United on Target

After a poor start to the 2022/23 season, Manchester United are now on course for a return to the Champions League. A top four finish would have been Ten Hag’s minimum target when he was appointed and the Red Devils are set to realize that aim.

There is support among neutral sources and the on figure in their Premier League top four market. Joining them as the four favourites to qualify are Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle United. Spurs, Brighton and Fulham remain in contention but are given little hope by the odds setters.

The markets are supplied by sources attached to Asiabet who provide figures from Asia and all across the world. With around half of the Premier League season still to play, there is scope for movement and all updates will be shown on the website.

Readers can assess their options while taking in additional information via news and opinion stories. Each bookmaker on the Asiabet panel will also be accepting new customers, so it’s possible to stake in those football markets.

Registration is fast and secure and, once complete, many betting operators will release a welcome promotion.

A range of deposit providers can help with adding the necessary funds while help options are there if needed.

Moving forward with the account, future benefits may include additional bonuses, live markets and the potential to stake on the go via a mobile app. The Asiabet site is a good all-round option for all forms of football betting, but can Wout Weghorst play a significant role in United’s top four quest?

What Next for Wout Weghorst?

Manchester United are believed to have a number of transfer targets in the summer, but their priority could be the Napoli striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian international has 14 goals in his first 16 league games this season as his side look to claim their first Serie A title in more than 30 years.

Osimhen was under the radar of a number of top clubs during the January window, but he made it clear that he wanted to stay in Italy and see out the remainder of the season. With Napoli homing in on the title, their key striker would not want to miss out, but it’s expected that those clubs will come back in the summer.

The arrival of a prolific striker at Old Trafford could well lead to Wout Weghorst going back to Burnley. However, has the Dutchman done enough to suggest that he could be a useful squad member at Manchester United through next season and beyond?

Written by Thomas Hein

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