Erik ten Hag confirms Man Utd ‘close to’ Wout Weghorst loan transfer but striker CAN’T make debut against Man City
ERIK TEN HAG has confirmed Manchester United are on the brink of confirming Wout Weghorst’s loan signing from Burnley until the end of the season.
But the Dutch striker cannot make his debut in the Manchester derby tomorrow because the deal is not yet officially over the line.
Weghorst, 30, was on loan with Besiktas but will have the temporary deal terminated early to make the switch to Old Trafford.
United will pay Burnley a £3million fee – and cover the forward’s wages of around £40,000 per week.
Erik ten Hag confirmed to the press the deal is virtually done.
The Dutchman said: “We are close.
“He will not be available for tomorrow”.
Weghorst will be the club’s second January signing after missing out on both Cody Gakpo and Joao Felix but landing Jack Butland.
Erik ten Hag was keen to bring in a centre-forward after Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive Piers Morgan interview saw him axed.
Anthony Martial has started up front in recent matches with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Elanga also capable on filling in as a No9 if needed.
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But the 6ft 6ins forward, who excelled for AZ Alkmaar and Wolfsburg before joining Burnley, will now provide another option in attack for Ten Hag.
The 19-cap Holland ace has just two goals in 20 Clarets appearances but has shone for Besiktas either side of his stunning goal at the World Cup.
The Red Devils’ incoming striker has not been registered in time to be involved at Old Trafford tomorrow, meaning he will have to wait until Wednesday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
United host champions City for the lunchtime kick-off desperate to get revenge for the 6-3 defeat earlier in the season.
Ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand is confident his former side can challenge Pep Guardiola’s men.
He told SunSport: “I’m going into this derby thinking, ‘We can give them a game’.
“You can see players gaining in confidence. For far too long we were going into games thinking, ‘Obviously, we are going to get beat here today but I don’t know how many’.
“Or we were going to the likes of Brentford and concede one and it could be three or four.
“When we have been feeling that as Man United fans, it is now nice going to games not feeling like that.
“I am now going to a game not looking through my fingers, expecting crazy s*** going on. I am going there now with a bit of, ‘I fancy us today. I fancy us to beat them and dominate the ball’, because you can see something tactically that has been consistently coming out every week now.”