Manchester United forward set for January loan as Wout Weghorst transfer closes in

Manchester United are prepared to send Charlie McNeill on loan this month as Erik ten Hag’s side gets closer to adding Wout Weghorst to their squad for six months.

The Burnley forward, who is currently on loan with Turkish side Besiktas, is now the main option for Ten Hag as he looks to strengthen United’s forward line following the November departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In turn, this could allow McNeill to leave the club on loan to gain experience playing first-team football.

Richard Fay of the Manchester Evening News has reported that the club are open to the prospect of loaning the 18-year-old this month if an appropriate offer comes in for him.

It was added that the talented striker has already attracted interest from clubs within the Football League. He is keen to gain the experience of playing in a first-team environment and gain valuable experience.

The forward has often trained with Ten Hag’s first-team squad and also made his debut against Real Sociedad at the beginning of this season.

McNeill also appeared on the bench for United’s following Europa League fixture against FC Sheriff in September but has been with the under-21s since then.

United are enjoying a successful season in regard to loaned players, with Amad Diallo, Ethan Laird and Alvaro Fernandez all doing impressively in the Championship with their respective loan clubs.

McNeill is one of the club’s most exciting youth prospects since he joined The Reds from rivals Manchester City in the summer of 2020.

He scored 25 goals in his debut campaign, with 24 of those coming in the U18s Premier League. Last season, as he stepped up to under-23s level, McNeill scored 17 across all competitions, including five in United’s eventual FA Youth Cup victory.