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Former Manchester United loan signing Wout Weghorst has blamed Erik ten Hag for his struggles at Old Trafford last season.
Weghorst joined United temporarily for the second part of the 2022/23 campaign after Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious departure.
United paid Besiktas a small fee to part with the Dutchman’s services.
However, the striker scored just two goals for the Red Devils. He struggled to make an impact in terms of putting the ball into the back of the net, but he earned plaudits for his work rate and relentless defensive effort.
Weghorst also doubled down as a playmaker in some games, most notably at the Camp Nou against Barcelona.
When his loan tenure came to an end, United decided not to make his stay permanent.
He is currently plying his trade in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim.
Weghorts spoke to the media and said, “They were super successful months in which we hardly lost. I was also very important for the team, as both a focal point of play and 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.”
The 31-year-old added, “‘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.”
This term, he has managed four goals in 12 league appearances for Hoffenheim. Meanwhile, to say the current forwards available to Ten Hag have been struggling would be an understatement.
