Peter Schmeichel believes that Erik ten Hag should have given the chance to a young player to command the attack instead of signing Wout Weghorst in the January transfer window.
The 30-year-old Dutch striker joined Manchester United on loan when Cristiano Ronaldo abruptly left the team before the World Cup. Ronaldo’s contract was terminated after he criticised the club’s management in a Piers Morgan interview.
United, which is going through a possible takeover, decided to sign Burnley’s Weghorst for now instead of making a more expensive transfer. Due to the striker’s subpar performance, Red Devils icon Schmeichel believes that Ten Hag made the incorrect choice.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, the former goalkeeper said:
‘The way ETH and his team have recruited has been very good – [but] it’s not been fantastic – there are question marks over certain players.”
“Wout Weghorst has arrived on loan. You can argue that’s what was available at the time but I’m thinking is there not someone younger at the club you could have given that opportunity?”
“Wouldn’t that have been more beneficial for the club? They’ve brought in a striker who has played every game since he arrived and scored one goal. It wasn’t even a deciding goal. Of course, we are right to question that decision.”
“He has started every game and we are still waiting to see if he is good enough for this Manchester United side and I don’t think he is.”
Weghorst scored twice for the Netherlands at the World Cup. Since the loan move, he has only played 11 times for United and hasn’t scored in 457 Premier League minutes. His lone goal was scored in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Nottingham Forest.
Ten Hag decided to bench Weghorst in the second half of United’s 2-1 victory over Barcelona on Thursday night. At the time, Barcelona led 1-0, and substitute Antony scored the game-winning goal to help them move on to the Europa League’s Round of 16.
Weghorst arrived at Old Trafford in top shape. He spent the first half of the season on loan at Turkish club Besiktas, where he scored eight goals and assisted four times in 16 league games. Ten Hag would have also been interested in his World Cup form.
Burnley is still paying Weghorst, even though they are almost ready to move up to the Premier League. We don’t know what the striker’s long-term plans are, but it seems unlikely that he will sign a contract to stay at Old Trafford past this summer.
