Manchester United reportedly have no intention of signing Wout Weghorst on a permanent deal this summer.
The 30-year-old striker joined the Red Devils in the January transfer window on loan from Burnley after seeing his temporary deal with Besiktas cut short.
Erik ten Hag moved for the Dutchman following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, who mutually agreed to terminate his contract at Old Trafford in November.
Weghorst has since started all 10 games for Man United across all competitions, but he has only managed to find the net once, scoring in a 3-0 EFL Cup semi-final first-leg win over Nottingham Forest at the end of last month.
The majority of his appearances have been as a central striker, while he has also been deployed in a number 10 role in behind in-form attacker Marcus Rashford.
© Reuters
Ten Hag has recently praised the "very good job" that Weghorst is doing for the team since his arrival, but a long-term stay at Old Trafford may not be on the cards for the Netherlands international.
According to Football Insider, Man United are unlikely to complete the permanent signing of Weghorst in the summer.
The Red Devils are understood to have paid around £2.5m to loan the striker from Burnley and there is no obligation to buy at the end of the season.
Weghorst could therefore be lining up for Burnley next season, with Vincent Kompany's side currently in pole position to win the Championship and secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
Weghorst's impact on Man United has not gone unnoticed, and former Red Devils right-back Gary Neville has praised the striker's work-rate since taking a "vital job" in Ten Hag's team.
© Reuters
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast after United's 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, the 48-year-old said: "I love Wout Wehghorst. We shouldn't laugh, but there are times today... You have to admire Erik ten Hag picking him for every single match.
"I asked Ten Hag about that before the game. He feels he brings something to the team, and I can see why. Man United last season, there was this debate about whether or not they could press with Cristiano Ronaldo. They couldn't close down from the front. They couldn't press. You have to be able to press in the modern game."
"What Weghorst does, he's very good in transition. He's very good at defending set pieces. He's very good when they're in shape and he's watching space."
"He's doing a vital job for a team that has got a lot of attacking talent. That's why he's playing every week."
Weghorst will be hoping to keep his place in the starting lineup when Man United play host to Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League playoff tie on Thursday.
Oliver Thomas
