Besiktas are ready to take Wout Weghorst back if Manchester United decline to make his loan move to Old Trafford permanent in the summer.
Weghorst spent the first half of the season on loan at the Turkish side before surprisingly signing for United in the January window. The striker has been a useful option for Erik ten Hag, though is still yet to score a goal in the Premier League.
Ten Hag has suggested he is weighing up bringing Weghorst back permanently, though the Red Devils' top target is thought to be Harry Kane. If Weghorst does not end up at United, he will return to parent club Burnley, though it is unlikely the Clarets will bring him back into the fold.
The Dutchman may find an escape route in some old friends though, with The Sun reporting Besiktas are lining up a second deal for the striker. The Black Eagles are one of several Turkish Super Lig sides who are said to be keen to sign Weghorst.
Burnley are hoping to be able to sell their £12million flop, with Weghorst having scored just twice in 20 appearances for the Clarets. Instead though it appears that a loan return to Besiktas is most likely.
Ten Hag is still considering his plans at striker beyond the summer, with United lining up a move for Kane. And the Dutchman has already dropped a heavy hint that he will be moving on from Weghorst amid his struggles for goals.
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“Everyone is different, obviously, but for a striker the main thing is to score goals by any method, that is so far ahead of anything else. We need a striker who scores goals," he told Sky Sports.
"We have ability in the team to put balls in the box, so we need a striker to finish. We have to build a new future and we need a striker who not only scores goals but contributes by linking up play very well and pressing, which is very important.
"We demand from the players and the players demand from each other. You do your job always to 100 per cent, there are no ifs, buts or maybes, you have to deliver the performance in every circumstance."
While Weghorst has featured heavily for United since his arrival, former star Louis Saha does not believe he is the long-term answer up-front for the Red Devils.
"In terms of numbers, it’s clear that Wout Weghorst needs to score more goals because that is what a club like Manchester United need. When the ball is coming through from Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford or Antony, you need a striker who can score 15-20 goals a season," he told PaddyPower.
"However, it’s not good enough that he’s scored twice in 20 games, and I don’t see that changing before the end of the season. In terms of his mentality, he works hard, but that is not good enough."
