Wesley Sneijder has questioned Manchester United’s ‘strange’ move for Wout Weghorst and is not convinced he is good enough for the club.
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The Netherlands international has emerged as a shock target for the Red Devils as Erik ten Hag looks to improve his attacking options in January – though he has been limited to loan signings and free transfers.
Weghorst has enjoyed a brilliant season on loan at Besiktas from Burnley, though the Turkish team are reluctant to release him from his contract so he can move to United.
Given how complicated the deal is becoming, Sneijder believes the move makes little sense for United while he also has major doubts over the level of impact the striker is likely to make back in the Premier League.
Asked about Weghorst’s possible move to Old Trafford on Dutch football show Veronica Offside, Sneijder said: ‘Surely not! I would find that very strange.
‘Maybe they’ve seen the trick with the free-kick [in the World Cup quarter-final against Argentina] but I don’t think they fall for that in England anymore!
‘In terms of a striker, is he really someone United are waiting for? I don’t think so.’
Weghorst was dubbed a ‘crowbar’ by another of the studio guests – a Plan B type weapon that could give something different for United’s attack but Sneijder was not convinced.
‘They still have about 300 of those in the Premier League,’ he added. ‘It must be a stunt. This really can’t be true.’
Sneijder is not the only former Netherlands player to be shocked by United’s move for Weghorst, with Pierre van Hooijdonk also questioning just how suited the forward is to Ten Hag’s style of play.
‘I think it’s quite a dangerous move by Ten Hag,’ said the former striker on Studio Voetbal.
‘A Dutchman, who already played in England with Burnley and didn’t exactly play like a rockstar there. That does leave a mark. I don’t see him as a battering ram for United, or a focal point in the air.
‘They are not going to suddenly start playing everything diagonally through the air for Wout, I don’t believe that.’
Ibrahim Afellay agreed, he said: ‘He’s a player you bring on if you really need to force something, but I think Manchester United should be able to do more than just play high balls in the last 15 minutes of matches.’
