Erik ten Hag has simple Manchester United transfer decision to make on Wout Weghorst

“This is a childhood dream,” Wout Weghorst said after the final whistle at Wembley on February 26.

Six weeks earlier he had been milling around Turkey’s top-flight and now he was about to lift a trophy with Manchester United inside one of the world’s greatest stadiums having assisted one of the two winning goals.

But after the dream comes the wake-up call and Weghorst’s has come very loud and sharp. His two goals in 19 starts is not good enough at a club like United. But it goes beyond that, too.

READ MORE: What Erik ten Hag told United dressing room after Newcastle defeat

The striker was brought in as a stop gap and his personal mission was to convince Erik ten Hag he could be a long-term cog in his rebuild machine. What’s become apparent is that United have got exactly what they could afford in January.

The club were forced to dip into the loan market after their £225m summer spend and Weghorst was the result of Ten Hag’s search for a fill-in for the injured Anthony Martial. The Dutchman has started every single game he’s been available for since his arrival and yet is some way off proving he has what it takes to stay at United.

He has remarkably remained injury-free throughout his prolonged spell in the side, which has to be admired given Martial's persistent problems this season.

But his nine goals in 18 games for Besiktas in the first half of the season blindsided several optimists who put his lack of output at Burnley - two goals in 20 Premier League games - down to a lack of quality service.

Put in perspective, the Super Lig is a division that saw Mame Biram Diouf score 19 goals aged 33 and Mario Balotelli net 18 aged 31. The real - and obvious - litmus test was his time at Burnley last season.

In fact,