'Football heritage' - Man United fans are all saying the same thing about Wout Weghorst's number

Wout Weghorst's squad number at Manchester United has been leaked, and the fans are comparing him to a previous player who wore the shirt.

Before the transfer window not many people would have expected that United would be looking to alleviate their lack of striking options by signing Weghorst.

The striker is best known on these shores for the back end of last season, when he joined Burnley in January 2022 and scored twice in 20 appearances.

Failing to keep the Clarets in the league might just be the reason that even his fellow countrymen think it's somewhat of a joke that he's signing.

After saying goodbye to Besiktas fans last week, where he's been on loan since the start of this season, the move to United got done on Friday.

Unfortunately for him he wasn't registered in time to play any part in the Manchester derby on Saturday, although Erik ten Hag's side didn't need him in the end.

Anthony Martial, who was a doubt for the game, came off injured at half time, meaning Weghorst's debut could come very soon.

On Sunday, pictures from Old Trafford leaked that he'll be wearing the number 27 shirt for the rest of the campaign, and that put fans in mind of Marouane Fellaini, who wore the same number at Old Trafford.

"Tribute to the G.O.A.T," one United fan said in relation to Fellaini.

"He’s already better than Liverpool’s 27," another added, remembering that the chaotic Darwin Nunez wears the shirt for United's rivals.

Another, remembering the days of Fellaini, replied with, "Reminds me of Big Fella."

Including a GIF of Fellaini celebrating a fourth added, "27? Just cross and InsyaAllah"

"Big shoes to fill," another quipped, and both men presumably do wear pretty big shoes considering the size of them both.

Others believed that he was given the number as 2+7=9, which is similar to what Ivan Zamorano did at Inter Milan in 1998, when Ronaldo joined at took the number.

And the future of Alex Telles, who had worn the number until his departure on loan to Sevilla, was also taken into consideration.

Fellaini was often criticised during his time at Old Trafford, having been brought in by David Moyes and eventually sold by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

However, the former Everton midfielder did help them qualify for the Champions League under Louis van Gaal and also won the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during his time there.

Weghorst is unlikely to have that sort of success in the next sixth months, although Ten Hag's side remain the only team in England still in all four competitions they started the season in.

Instead of 27, the former Wolfsburg striker could have been given the number seven shirt, recently left free by Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, or number 11, which no one has worn this season.