Man Utd fans will love De Jong's reaction to Weghorst's first goal

Robin Bairner

• 26 Jan 2023 10:31 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United effectively booked their place in the EFL Cup final on Wednesday thanks to a thumping 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

It was a match notable for Wout Weghorst’s first goal for the club since arriving on loan from Burnley, with the Netherlands international sliding to fire an unorthodox shot into the roof of the net after an initial effort had been parried.

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For Weghorst personally, this was a triumph after his arrival as Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement at Old Trafford was questioned, while it also served to justify the decision of Erik ten Hag to draft him into the club.

It was a strike that was celebrated in the Netherlands, too, with the striker’s international team-mate Frenkie de Jong taking time out to offer his congratulations on social media via a clapping hand emoji.

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For United fans, it will be a point of interest that De Jong is keeping close tabs on the performance of the club.

The Barcelona midfielder was closely linked with a switch to Man Utd in the summer, but no deal could get done despite a saga that stretched weeks and dominated the football transfer news agenda.

Although the arrival of Casemiro from Real Madrid ultimately strengthened the Red Devils in that area, Ten Hag is thought to be actively seeking an upgrade on the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay in the summer months. It is natural that he would once again look to De Jong.

And with Barcelona’s financial position still unresolved along with the problem of De Jong’s contract, which remains out of step with the new wage structure in line at the club, there will continue to be question marks over his future.

A resurgent Man Utd, which boasts a strong Dutch influence, will have to be of interest to De Jong – and it is clear that he is following the club’s progress.