Wout Weghorst After winning his first career trophy just six weeks after signing on loan to Manchester United, he’s hungry for more.
Erik ten Hag’s side thought outside the box as they tried to reinforce a front line that saw the veteran star Cristiano Ronaldo makes a dramatic debut and Anthony Martial struggles to stay in shape.
Even Weghorst was surprised to learn amid the investigation that United had been on season-long loan from Sky Bet Championship leaders Burnley. Turkish giants Beşiktaş.
Difficulties were eased to get the deal done, and the rising forward has played in all 12 games since his arrival, including Sunday’s 2-0 win. Newcastle inside Carabao Cup end.
Asked what he would have said if he had said he would win a trophy with United two months ago, Weghorst smiled and replied, “Deal!
“It’s a great, wonderful feeling. Of course it hasn’t been as long for me as I’ve been here, but it’s been a long time since we won the silver medal for the club. It’s good that he’s back to me where he belongs.
“It’s a great club, a great club, you know, I’m really happy we were able to win that.”
United had not won a silver medal since 2017 – the club’s longest cup drought in 40 years – and the Carabao Cup is veteran Weghorst’s first career winners medal.
“I played two cup finals in the Netherlands, I lost both,” the 30-year-old said. “This was the third time.
“Of course it’s something special, and of course you put all the hard work, all the hard work, to really get something in your head.
“So, yeah, it’s personal for me too, and it’s really nice to win a trophy.”
Weghorst played for Emmen, Heracles, AZ Alkmaar and Wolfsburg before joining Burnley for £12m last January.
The veteran striker went to Istanbul after his relegation and huge moments like this seemed farther away and much sweeter to experience.
“I took some time off[after the game],” Weghorst said. “I may be really tough or really cool but yes, it’s a childhood dream for me.
“It is a childhood dream to play for this amazing club, to play one final and also to be important in this final with the second goal.
“Yeah, just to give my all and if you win in the end, you should enjoy that too because like today, you focus on one thing during the game and that is winning the game and that is performance.
“So, yes, you have to take a moment from now on, otherwise everything just passes by before you know it and you don’t enjoy it.
“So, yes, I spent some time there, and that was the best moment of the night.”
There’s little time to enjoy the aftermath of Ten Hag’s first trophy as United manager as the FA Cup’s fifth-round match against West Ham appears on Wednesday as a relentless schedule continues.
The Red Devils continue their Premier League title hunt and head to Liverpool next weekend before kicking off the Europa League last-16 draw against Real Betis as they battle for three more trophies.
“You see (passion) in the group, you can feel it in a group,” said Weghorst, who saw Loris Karius fail to score a spectacular third. “He (in the group) lives.
“Of course the manager was the first to raise the tension by saying ‘no, we live to win’.
“There’s a great feeling inside the club, within the team, with the players. So, to be honest, it’s something special to realize.
“Now we’ve won the first one and we still have three, so yeah, we’re hungry for more.”
No doubt meticulous manager Ten Hag will take home this message that has changed the mindset of the group since joining Ajax over the summer.
“Like I said, he lived to win, his goal every day,” Weghorst added.
“He lives for it. You can really feel in detail how we work, how we work every day, every game.
“He pays a lot of attention to where our opportunities are, so he is first and foremost a great manager of great quality, he definitely ties the two things together. It’s a great combination.”