By his own admission, the coach who hopes to bring in Burnley’s £12 million man during the summer transfer window exchanged a few texts with the player himself Wednesday.
But whether the forgotten man of Turf Moor will end up at his boyhood club before the September deadline, well, that remains to be seen.
Another transfer window, another spell of speculation surrounding the future of one Wout Weghorst. The only thing that looks certain, right now, is that the Dutch international has no future at a Burnley side he joined from Wolfsburg in a £12 million deal back in January 2022.
Weghorst hasn’t even played for The Clarets since the end of that season, spending time out on loan at Besiktas, Manchester United and Hoffenheim. Now, back in the Championship and with only one year left on his contract, a permanent parting of the ways feels like a necessity this summer.
Burnley striker Wout Weghorst likely to depart
It is no secret that Weghorst, to quote the experienced targetman, ‘supported FC Twente as a child’. But will his dream move to his beloved Enschede outfit finally become a reality?
Joseph Oosting, the Twente coach who worked with a young Weghorst at FC Emmen, certainly hopes so.
But with Ajax reportedly making a move of their own – the Eredivisie giants with funds far in excess of those available to Twente – Oosting is in the dark about whether an emotional homecoming will actually happen.
“(Former loan star Myron) Boadu and Weghorst are players who would like to play for Twente. It’s that simple. Then, it’s about whether we can achieve that,” Oosting says, via ESPN.
“I read (about the Ajax reports). I can’t comment on all the speculation. I think there is another interest behind bringing this. I know how that works. We’re not crazy.
“I have no other news than what I have had before. I’m quite relaxed about that.”
Fabrizio Romano threw a spanner into the Twente works this week, reporting on X that talks over personal terms with Ajax were ‘very advanced’. Oosting is not ready to accept defeat just yet, however, even if he remains coy about the nature of his own discussions with Weghorst.
“I had some contact with him (on Wednesday) morning,” adds the manager who guided Twente to third place last season, 13 points above a disastrous Ajax side. “We ask how each other is doing.
“But (we are not discussing) yet whether we will see each other in a few weeks.”
Weghorst scored the winner during the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Poland in Euro 2024 on Sunday.
Ajax closing in on former Manchester United loanee
Burnley have decisions to make regarding a number of senior players. But progress in the transfer market will be restricted as long as The Clarets do not have a manager in situ. Reports are now suggesting that Manchester United legend and former PSV Eindhoven coach Ruud van Nistelrooy is edging closer to the Turf Moor hotseat.
Another big name in Frank Lampard has been linked too, the ex-Chelsea boss keen to get back into the game.
“Some opportunities have come my way. They didn’t feel right for the time,” Lampard tells talkSPORT (7 June, 11am). “But now I feel ready so we will see what opportunities come up. I’m certainly ready to work. I love doing what I do, so we will see.
“I am ready to work, when it feels like it’s the right opportunity from my end and when someone wants to give me that opportunity. I am well versed now in understanding what that is, because I have had difficult jobs.
“Probably, now, the time is right for me to find the right challenge with the right expectations and the right support around it. And I would be delighted to get that work.”
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