Manchester United are closing in on the loan signing of Burnley striker Wout Weghorst.
The Netherlands international, who has spent the first half of this season on loan at Turkish heavyweights Besiktas, is set to undergo a medical on Thursday ahead of finalising his temporary switch to Old Trafford. He wants to get the move done in time to be in contention for Saturday's derby against Manchester City.
The 30-year-old, who scored two goals at the World Cup in Qatar, is desperate to join the Reds and has been pleading with Besiktas to let him seal the move. United have agreed a £2.5million compensation package with the Turkish club as a result, as he initially joined them on a season-long loan from Burnley back in July.
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Should all go according to plan, Weghorst, formerly of Wolfsburg, will become United's second signing of the January transfer window, following the arrival of Jack Butland from Crystal Palace last week. The goalkeeper has also joined the Reds on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
With the Dutchman now on the brink of sealing a move to United, all eyes will be on what squad number he is handed at Old Trafford. Below, MEN Sport has taken a close look at just some of the numbers currently up for grabs:
No.3
Available following Eric Bailly's season-long loan move to Marseille last summer, the No.3 is currently up for grabs at Old Trafford. Although it has been donned by some all-time greats down the years, it is not a shirt number you usually associate with a striker, unless you go by the name of Asamoah Gyan.
No.7
Recently vacated by Cristiano Ronaldo, the No.7 remains up for grabs. It is usually associated with an attacker but some may question whether the player has the cachet to command one of the most iconic squad numbers in football.
No.13
The No.13 was last worn by former goalkeeper Lee Grant up until the end of last season, meaning it has not been long without a wearer. It was, arguably most famously, worn by former attacker Ji-sung Park for the duration of his United career.
No.15
Following Andreas Pereira's move to Fulham back in the summer, the No.15 is still available for a new signing to lay their hands on it. It is another number that has been worn by several household names in the past, including Nemanja Vidic and David Beckham.
No.16
Like Bailly's No.3, the No.16 is currently available because of its occupier, Amad, being out on loan. It is yet another number that has a rich history, being worn by the likes of Michael Carrick, Roy Keane and Gary Neville down the years.
No.24
The No.24 has been up for grabs since former centre-back Timothy Fosu-Mensah left Old Trafford in January 2021. Prior to that, it was occupied by Darren Fletcher for more than a decade.
No.26
With goalkeeper Dean Henderson currently stationed on loan at Nottingham Forest, the No.26 is another option Weghorst could consider. Former attackers Gabriel Obertan and Shinji Kagawa have worn it in the past.
No.27
Again, the No.27 is also registered to a loanee, meaning it is currently available. Alex Telles is on loan at Sevilla and is scheduled to remain in Spain for the rest of the season.
Other numbers above 30 are also available at this moment in time, including 32, 37 and 40.
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