Manchester United are exploring the potential of signing Burnley ahead Wout Weghorst on mortgage.

United have been out there for a striker to offer attacking cowl for Marcus Rashford, and are understood to have made preliminary contact with Burnley to search out out if a deal is feasible.

Netherlands worldwide Weghorst moved to Burnley on a three-and-a-half yr deal from Wolfsburg on Transfer Deadline Day in January 2022, however left to affix Istanbul-based outfit Besiktas on a season-long mortgage final summer time having discovered the again of the online simply twice for the Clarets.

Weghorst stays on mortgage at Besiktas in the meanwhile, and any deal could also be sophisticated as it will require each golf equipment to agree to chop quick Weghorst’s mortgage.

The towering 6ft 6in striker scored one of the vital dramatic targets of the World Cup, netting an equaliser deep into stoppage time of the Netherlands’ quarter-final towards Argentina, earlier than the Dutch had been ultimately crushed on penalties.

A mortgage transfer is considered United’s focus within the present window – with the intention of re-visiting the place in the summertime when there will probably be extra choices accessible.

They had been out there for a participant of Weghorst’s profile final summer time – they had been involved in Sasa Kalajdzic and Benjamin Sesko.

Ten Hag: Martial can’t handle load – we want one other striker

Speaking on Friday, Ten Hag mentioned he wants to usher in attacking cowl for Marcus Rashford with Anthony Martial struggling to handle the load.

Martial had a disrupted pre-season, and has been unable to finish 90 minutes this time period on account of an injury-interrupted marketing campaign.

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

“It shouldn’t be about us not counting on him. His bodily load shouldn’t be, at this second, so excessive that he can play each third day a sport of 90 minutes. So I’ve to handle that along with him.

“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 advantages from that. So I’m not involved that solely Marcus is scoring targets, as a result of I’m satisfied the opposite gamers [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.”

Follow the January transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will probably be on the transfer this winter? The January switch window opened on Sunday January 1, 2023 and closes at 11pm on Tuesday January 31, 2023.

Keep up-to-date with all the most recent switch information and rumours in our devoted Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You may also meet up with the ins, outs and evaluation on Sky Sports News.