Frenkie de Jong has revealed that Wout Weghorst told him he’d try and scupper his game ahead of Manchester United’s Europa League clash with Barcelona on Thursday.
Weghorst was asked to play in a deeper role at number 10 with Marcus Rashford ahead as the frontman. The Dutchman was still presented with a goalscoring opportunity though, but squandered a one-on-one opportunity on 28 minutes when he hit his shot straight at Andre ter Stegen.
The loanee striker was asked to link up the play, ending the game completing nine of his 14 passes (64 per cent) and winning none of his six aerial duels. De Jong, meanwhile, completed 40 of his 45 passes (89 per cent), made two tackles and had 55 touches - more than double Weghorst did, albeit the United attacker was playing in an unfamiliar position.
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He was asked to man-mark De Jong, who enjoyed a run to the World Cup quarter-finals with the Netherlands with Weghorst in December. They rekindled their friendship before Thursday’s match and De Jong revealed what Weghorst had told him.
The Nou Camp star told ESPN: “He already said it in the tunnel before the game: “I’m going to get in your way!” And he did a good job.” Speaking about his change of role following the game, Weghorst said: “[The midfield] are very important for them to shift the game, my job was to constantly get in their way and be annoying there so that they don’t get into their game and can play the way they like to do. And to be able to make my depth actions offensively from the second line, because they are vulnerable in that. You saw that in the first half.
“I had never been there, I only wanted to come here if I could also play football. It was a special day, I did enjoy it, it was beautiful.” MEN Sport understands that United are still open to purchasing De Jong despite last summer’s failed pursuit.
The 25-year-old has publicly insisted that his preference is to stay at Barcelona and has reportedly since reached an agreement over the club’s wage deferral issue that had proved a stumbling block in negotiations last time.
Meanwhile, Weghorst has played nine times for United since his January switch but has only found the net once. His loan deal contains no obligation or option to buy.
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