Weghorst joins Manchester United on loan from Burnley

Manchester United have completed the signing of Wout Weghorst on loan from Burnley. The Netherlands international has cost United £2.6m, with the Championship leaders in turn paying that fee to Besiktas after the Turkish club agreed to cancel his loan in Istanbul. Weghorst will spend the rest of the season at Old Trafford but United, who will pay 100 per cent of his wages, have no option or obligation to buy him in the summer.

Manager Erik ten Hag had prioritised a centre-forward in the January transfer market after Cristiano Ronaldo left United and, with their budget restricted after they overspent last summer, they turned to the loan market. United believe the 6ft 6in Weghorst, who signed too late to be registered in time to play in Saturday’s Manchester derby, offers a different dimension to their other striking options, in Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, and were impressed by his fine goalscoring record over his career.