Man Utd call made me burst into tears – but Erik ten Hag soured my Old Trafford dream

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Former Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has opened up about his stint at Old Trafford, blaming Erik ten Hag's tactics for his failure to score more goals. The 6ft 6in striker’s loan move from Burnley to United raised plenty of eyebrows in January 2023 .

Following a brief but fruitful loan spell with Turkish giants Besiktas, Weghorst joined compatriot Ten Hag at United as the club scrambled to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo .

The Dutchman never lacked commitment in a United shirt but managed a meagre return of just two goals from 31 outings across all competitions during his six month stay, failing to find the net in the Premier League . He did, however, lift the Carabao Cup that season and set up Marcus Rashford in the final against Newcastle .

That remains the only major honour of the 33-year-old's playing career. But Weghorst has since opened up about his lack of goals, claiming he was used as a foil to get the best out of others while citing Ten Hag’s system as the reason.

"They were super successful months in which we hardly lost," Weghorst explained. "I was also very important for the team as both a focal point of play and the hard-working link between midfield and attack.

“Only my goals were lagging behind. That gnawed at me and was the reason why I lost my starting place. The Premier League is by far the toughest league in the world , with the best defenders. But we were rarely the dominant side creating chances. And the way we played was also different from what I was used to.

“In Germany and Turkey, the teams always played for me. I was the end of the line, while at United, I mainly had to ensure that others could excel. I think I managed that very well. But whichever way you look at it, I would have liked to score much more often.”

The Netherlands international, now at Ajax, revealed he turned down a lucrative proposal from Besiktas after a spell where he scored nine goals in 18 matches. The opportunity to join United when they came calling after his performances at the Qatar 2022 World Cup proved impossible to resist.

“Things went very well at Besiktas and I was enjoying myself immensely there," the striker said. “One evening my agent Simon Cziommer called me. Simon said ‘there are two clubs interested in you. First he told me a story about Brentford - and then he suddenly shouted ‘Wout, United want you!’ I dropped the phone and burst into tears.

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“My relationship with Besiktas' sporting director was very good and I explained to him that it was my boyhood dream to play for Manchester United . He said he understood, but Besiktas kept coming up with more and more financial offers. I won't mention any amounts, but believe me when I say that I lost a lot to make the transfer possible.”

Weghorst's passion for United was so intense that he lifted the lid on how overwhelmed he became while watching the Red Devils defeat rivals City 2-1 in the Manchester derby as his transfer was being finalised. He admitted: "I entered that magical stadium for the first time in my life and when I sat down in my seat, looked around and took in the chanting of the fans, it hit me hard.

“That was the moment when I realised this is my club now. Then I watched one of the greatest football matches on earth. Of course I had dreamed about this as a young boy. But to see it actually happen made me shiver.”

He was frequently used as a lone striker under Ten Hag and the shortage of chances created for him contributed significantly to his modest goals return, leaving him with mixed feelings about his spell at Old Trafford. He said: "There was zero adjustment time. The pressure was bizarre and the physical strain greater than I had ever experienced.

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“Only in the last few months did I feel I was really comfortable in it. Then I became myself and dared to throw off the shyness. In the period before that, maybe I was too humble.

“But I will never forget my goal at Old Trafford against Real Betis. The fans were super crazy about me because they also saw that I was doing everything for it. I'm quite proud that I got this far.”

When he left Old Trafford in the summer of 2023, Weghorst put his love for United, and thanks to their fans, on record. Alongside a video compilation of his time with United , he said: "Dear Man United fans, thanks for everything. I really enjoyed every single second at this club, from winning silverware to scoring my first goal against Betis at Old Trafford.

"Dreams came true. Unbelievably proud to wear the badge. I wish you all the best for the future. Man United fans, thank you very much." The striker joined Ajax in August 2024 after another loan spell at German side Hoffenheim.

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