Erik ten Hag is not done with Wout Weghorst. Not even close.
The former Manchester United manager — who now works as sporting director at FC Twente — has made it clear he wants the big Dutch striker back in his squad. This is the same Wout Weghorst who scored two goals in 31 appearances for United during a loan spell that fans spent most of complaining about.
But ten Hag sees something else. Something that goes beyond the stat sheet.
From Old Trafford to Twente
Ten Hag took over as Twente’s sporting director after his last managerial job ended in disaster. He got sacked by Bayer Leverkusen three games into the season. That came after his messy exit from Manchester United, where he won the FA Cup but never found consistent form. His teams played dull football, the results weren’t good enough, and the club moved on.
Now he’s in a front office role for the first time. It’s a new kind of pressure. And he wants to start by bringing in a player he trusts.
Weghorst is 33. He’s not fast. He didn’t score in the Premier League for United. But ten Hag still called him out by name during a World Cup punditry gig, saying he’d love to have him at Twente.
What ten Hag Said
Quoted by Dutch outlet Tubantia, ten Hag was pretty direct. “At Twente we are naturally always interested in Wout Weghorst,” he said. “He is a boy with true Twente roots. We are incredibly proud of everything Wout has achieved.”
He added: “I have known Wout and the Weghorst family for a very long time. Back then, Wout was just a little boy playing for NEO. Of course I would love to have him on the team. Who wouldn’t want a striker like Wout Weghorst?”
That last line is doing a lot of work. Because plenty of fans would argue that question has an obvious answer.
The Numbers Problem
Weghorst’s time at United was rough. Two goals total. One Premier League goal involvement. He worked hard, pressed defenders, and gave the team a target to play off of. But finishing was never his thing in England. For a club that needed goals, he wasn’t the answer.
Ten Hag doesn’t seem to care. He’s building a team at Twente, not chasing Champions League glory. And Weghorst fits the profile: experienced, local, and someone the manager knows well.
World Cup First
Ten Hag also made clear that Weghorst is locked in on the Netherlands’ World Cup run right now. “Wout is focusing on the World Cup right now. He wants to become world champion,” ten Hag said.
If the Dutch actually pull that off, Weghorst would arrive at Twente as a World Cup winner. That’s a nice headline. But even if they don’t, ten Hag seems ready to make this happen. The transfer window is open. The relationship is there.
It’s not the flashiest move a sporting director could make. But for ten Hag, it’s a start.
Leave a Comment