Wout Weghorst is still finding goals hard to come by after leaving Premier League giants Manchester United with a penalty miss capping an ‘abysmally bad’ display during the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 qualifier with Greece on Tuesday.
The lanky, luckless centre-forward could hardly have been handed a better chance to end his goal drought.
Wout Weghorst, back in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim after his loan spell at Manchester United came to an end, travelled to Greece after seven games without finding the net for club and country.
Seven, however, would quickly turn into eight. Weghorst squandering a first-half spot-kick before Virgil van Dijk – a centre-half les we forget – showed the striker how it’s done in stoppage time.
“Abysmally bad,” was Kenneth Perez assessment of the 31-year-old’s display, Weghorst more ‘carthorse’ in the eyes of the former Ajax midfielder (ESPN).
“We know that about Weghorst. If he is less than (his best), then he is really bad.”
Wout Weghorst struggling after Manchester United exit
If Dutch legend Ruud Gullit had his way, meanwhile, another sky-scraping, 30-something number nine would be leading the line for the Oranje ahead of next summer’s European Championships.
“The best striker is not there. Luuk De Jong; that is our very best number nine,” Gullit tells Rondo, urging Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman to coax the PSV Eindhoven captain out of international retirement.
“You cannot compare him with Weghorst. If you can play like that at Barcelona, Sevilla… come on. At PSV, he is also decisive. De Jong can really do something more, I’m sorry. De Jong is really great. He is your best striker.
“Then I would talk to him and say; ‘When the European Championship arrives, are you available? I need you’.”
Two goals in 30 games
De Jong’s record speaks for itself. In just 15 games this season, the veteran targetman has a remarkable 13 goals and seven assists.
Compare that with Weghorst’s own return, and you’ll realise where Gullit is coming from. In fact, since finding the net for Manchester United against Real Betis in the Europa League seven months ago, Weghorst has scored just twice in his last 30 appearances.
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