Burnley forward should pursue European transfer move: View

It is expected to be another busy summer of change at Burnley Football Club, given the fact they have suffered relegation to the Championship and a new manager will be arriving.

The Clarets’ search for a new manager is still ongoing, but whoever the person is to take the reins, they will be expected to oversee a hectic transfer window as the club prepares for life back in the second tier.

It has already been reported by The Athletic that the Lancashire side expects as many as five players to leave the club over the coming months. Therefore, that is likely going to mean possibly five new players arriving at the club as well.

One of the five players that Burnley may be expecting to leave this summer could be striker Wout Weghorst, who has been with the club since January 2022 but has spent the last two seasons out on loan.

The Dutch international will be returning to the club this summer, but it appears as though he is already a wanted man, as Ajax are said to be interested in signing him.

Ajax makes enquiry for Wout Weghorst

Burnley signed Wout Weghorst in January 2022 under former manager Sean Dyche, and he was a firm favourite under Dyche.

However, since he left and the club has been in the Championship, the Premier League, and back, Weghorst has been playing his football elsewhere.

The 31-year-old has been on loan at Besiktas, Manchester United, and most recently, German side Hoffenheim.

Weghorst is currently on international duty with the Netherlands as they prepare for Euro 2024, but he will return to Burnley after the tournament if a deal isn’t agreed.

The forward has 12 months left on his contract, and it is likely that Burnley will be looking to move him on this summer.

It has been reported by Dutch outlet Voetbal International that Eredivisie giants Ajax have submitted an enquiry regarding the availability of Weghorst.

The report states that the striker could be available for free or for a small transfer fee this summer, which indicates that Burnley are keen to let the player leave.

Wout Weghorst must pursue Ajax transfer

Since joining Burnley in January 2022, Wout Weghorst’s time at the club has been very frustrating.

The striker was brought to the Lancashire side to help them avoid relegation that season, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the club parted ways with Sean Dyche and relegation still occurred.

Dyche leaving Turf Moor not long after Weghorst was brought to the club spelled bad news for the striker, as he’s never been favoured since, as former manager Vincent Kompany didn’t see him as part of his plans.

Therefore, that is why the 31-year-old has spent time on loan at Besiktas and Manchester United in the 2022/23 season and then at Hoffenheim in the 2023/24 campaign.

It was a mixed bag for the player during these three loans, with his time at Hoffenheim being relatively positive, but he didn’t do enough for them to want to sign him on a permanent basis.

Weghorst played 28 Bundesliga games during his loan, 24 of which he started, averaging 71 minutes on the pitch per game, and one of his performances even got an acknowledgment from Sofascore.com.

The forward scored seven goals in those appearances, which was just below his xG, which stood at 7.37.

The Dutchman could have had more goals to his name, as he was averaging 1.4 shots per game, and he missed five big chances.

However, he did finish the season with a respectable 18% goal conversion rate, and he also chipped in with three assists, which was better than his xAG, which was at 2.85, as per Sofascore.com.

Weghorst will hope what he did in Germany will be enough to secure him a move away this summer, but he still has Euro 2024, where he can show on a world stage what he can offer to any teams around Europe.

Given his situation at Turf Moor, Weghorst needs to leave the club on a permanent basis this summer, as going out on loan for another season is no good to the player.

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At 31, it is time for him to find a permanent home, a club where he is going to play a lot of games, and he can put this disastrous spell with Burnley behind him.

If Ajax is genuine in their interest, then Weghorst needs to pursue this move, as it is a great opportunity for him. It allows him to return to his homeland of the Netherlands, and he joins a club that, yeah, has had a tricky time of late, but it allows him to play in European football as well.

This type of opportunity may not come around again, so it is one that he should definitely pursue, and it means he can leave Burnley and play football at a high level.