"A little bit like Ian Rush" - Ralf Rangnick's old comments on Manchester United target resurface ahead of potential transfer

Ralf Rangnick once made an interesting remark about reported Manchester United target Wout Weghorst. The striker, on loan at Besiktas from Burnley, has emerged as a surprise target for the Red Devils in the January transfer window.

Erik ten Hag's side are thin on the attack after the unplanned departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in November. The Dutch coach has eyed his compatriot Weghorst as a player who could fill the hole left by the Portuguese.

Rangnick was United's interim manager for the 2021-22 season. His team was set to play Burnley at Turf Moor. Rangnick was quizzed about Weghorst, who had just joined Burnley, ahead of the game. He compared the player to Liverpool legend Ian Rush.

Rangnick said (via Manchester Evening News):

"He looks with his size, a little bit like Ian Rush, for example, but he's a very technical player. Due to his size, he is also physically present but he's not that much of a physical target striker. He is more of a technical player.

"Also, he had good times at Wolfsburg when Oliver Glasner was head coach, he did extremely well and scored quite a few goals. I thought he was a good signing and one of the best possible signings to replace [Chris] Wood."

Weghorst scored a stunning brace against Argentina in the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to help the Oranje seal a comeback. The Dutch, however, lost the game via penalties.

Former Dutch midfielder and United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen recently backed United's pursuit of Weghorst. He told the BBC:

"Ten Hag knows what he is doing, for sure. He is 30 years old, so it is a stop-gap because of the ongoing rumours with the takeover of new owners. That is probably the reason Ten Hag is being forced to do loan deals."

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Luke Shaw speaks about his first Manchester United goal

Manchester United v Everton: Emirates FA Cup Third Round

Left-back Luke Shaw scored his first Manchester United goal against Leicester City in 2018 after signing from Southampton. Looking back, Shaw recently said (via the club's official website):

“I hadn’t scored, so it’s always on your mind that you want to try and get your first goal as soon as possible really, I had to wait a long time and it came at a good time for me really, here [at Old Trafford], in front of the Stretford End, my home ground, to win the game.

"Like I said, [it was] my first one, so it was a really nice moment for me and my family, and for me to get off the mark finally.”

Manchester United next take on Charlton Athletic on January 10 in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.