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Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has detailed the conversation he had with Erik ten Hag when asked to play as a deeper number 10.

The attacker has played the position on a handful of occasions, most notably successful in the 2-2 first-leg draw at the Camp Nou against Barcelona in the Europa League play-off game last month.

Weghorst did not score in either game and has just two goals in 18 appearances, although he did get the assist for Marcus Rashford’s League Cup final goal at Wembley. The Dutchman, who suffered defeat for the Netherlands against France in Friday’s Euro 2024 tie, recalled the first time Ten Hag asked him to play in the new position.

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“The manager told me at half time of the away game at Fulham that he was considering the option of playing me as 10, behind Rashford,” he said, according to the Mirror.

“He told me to just keep his plan in mind because Ten Hag is a manager who places a high value on task-conscious play. Then the manager told me that he had to do my share of defensive work on the job. I’m a team player, so I said, ‘That’s not a problem, boss.'”

Weghorst is yet to score in the Premier League for United despite starting all eight games he has been available for amid injuries to Anthony Martial. Earlier this week, the striker on loan from Burnley insisted he was “doing a good job” despite poor goal return from him.

Speaking a few days later, Weghorst admitted that his conversion rate is something on his mind. He continued: “Sometimes I think I’m doing really well, but then I remember I only have two goals.

“This is also how everyone sees football. I try to teach my kids to look at things other than goals, and that works for me, too.

“I prefer to look at the positive. When I scored my first goal for Nottingham Forest, I said in an interview that I couldn’t wait for my first goal in a home game in front of our fans. That took a few more games (against Real Betis in the Europa League), but it was a great moment for me.

“You only experience how great United is when you are part of it. This is an absolute top club, with all the attention from outside. You have to find a way to deal with it, but I manage to be myself even in this environment.”

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