Discussion: Is Selling Cristiano Ronaldo and Acquiring Weghorst the Right Move for Manchester United? – Discover Right Away
The recent decision by Manchester United to sell Cristiano Ronaldo and bring in Wout Weghorst has sparked a debate among fans. Statistics may show that Weghorst has scored fewer goals for Manchester United compared to Ronaldo, but his impact on the team’s performance has been noteworthy.
In the match against Newcastle on April 2nd, Weghorst made his 19th start for Manchester United in all competitions this season. Although he has scored only 2 goals as a starting forward, his presence has contributed to the team’s overall success under the guidance of manager Erik Ten Hag. With Weghorst in the starting lineup, Manchester United secured 12 victories and suffered only 3 defeats.
During his recent 19 starts for “The Red Devils,” Ronaldo netted an impressive 11 goals. However, these goals led to a total of 23 goals for the team. In these matches, Ronaldo helped Manchester United win 9 times but also faced 7 defeats.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville presented these statistics on Sky Sports to compare the contributions of Weghorst and Ronaldo. Neville concluded that Ten Hag had valid reasons to let Ronaldo leave and bring in Weghorst. Nevertheless, he doesn’t consider Weghorst as a long-term solution for Manchester United, stating, “He’s a short-term fix. Manchester United wins more with him replacing Ronaldo in the attack. However, he provides too few goals and is certainly not the number 9 solution that the club desires.”
Weghorst joined Manchester United during the 2022/23 mid-season transfer period. To date, the player, who is still contracted to Burnley, has yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League despite being frequently included in the starting lineup. His two goals for Manchester United came in the Europa League and Carabao Cup.
Wout Weghorst later made a move to Everton during the summer transfer window of 2023, departing Manchester United on a free transfer on June 30th. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has found a new team in an Arab club, where he appears to be content and enjoying his time with the squad.
Al Nassr, the club where Ronaldo is currently playing, has become a trailblazer in the Arab football scene by recruiting European players. This trend began with the transfer of players like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, Brozović, Fofana, Firmino, and others to Arab clubs, contributing to the growth and success of Arab football.
The decision to acquire Weghorst and part ways with Ronaldo is still a subject of ongoing discussion, with both players making their mark in different ways for Manchester United and continuing their football journeys elsewhere.
