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United have been looking for a striker to provide attacking cover for Marcus Rashford and are believed to have made preliminary contact with Burnley to see if a deal is possible.

Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract termination and acrimonious exit, the Red Devils are looking for a new striker in the January transfer window.

Manchester United are reportedly considering a loan deal for Burnley striker Wout Weghorst.

Weghorst joined Burnley on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Wolfsburg on Transfer Deadline Day in January 2022, but left to join Istanbul-based Besiktas on a season-long loan last summer after scoring just twice for the Clarets.

Weghorst is still on loan at Besiktas for the time being, and any deal could be complicated because both clubs would have to agree to cut Weghorst’s loan short.

Man United are said to have held talks with Burnley, who would have to recall Weghorst from his loan spell in Turkey, about a move, and the 6’5″ Dutchman is open to the move.

Weghorst scored one of the World Cup’s most dramatic goals, netting an equalizer deep into stoppage time in the Netherlands’ quarter-final against Argentina, before the Dutch were ultimately defeated on penalties.

Ten Hag stated on Friday that he needs to bring in attacking cover for Marcus Rashford because Anthony Martial is struggling to handle the load.

Martial had a hampered pre-season and has been unable to play 90 minutes this season due to an injury-plagued campaign.

“There is a reason [Martial has been substituted in his last seven games]. It is because he cannot manage the load,” Ten Hag said. “This is why we are looking for another striker.

“It is not about us not relying on him. His physical load is not, at this moment, so high that he can play every third day a game of 90 minutes. So I have to manage that together with him.

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“We are on a thin line at the moment because the qualities of Anthony Martial are so important right now to our game. His movements, his ball security, the pressing, let’s not forget that. We need that profile to be a threat.

“Also, Marcus Rashford benefits from that. So I am not concerned that only Marcus is scoring goals, because I am convinced the other players [can score too].

“Not only Anthony Martial, but Antony scored [in the 3-1 FA Cup win against Everton]. Bruno Fernandes is also very capable of scoring, Christian Eriksen will create and is also capable of scoring goals. So we have more players who can score goals.”