Burnley signed Wout Weghorst from Wolfsburg for £12.3 million — their third club-record signing at the time. He was brought in as a direct replacement for Chris Wood, sold to Newcastle after they triggered his release clause.
The problem came fast. Burnley were relegated at the end of that season. In the Championship, paying a striker £40,000 a week made no financial sense. For context, Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United was reportedly earning £55,000 a week — Weghorst was nearly on par.
Their solution was elegant. Loan him to Beşiktaş, split wages 50/50. Weghorst stayed sharp — 9 goals in 18 appearances in Turkey. Then Manchester United came calling in January, desperate for a short-term striker solution.
United offered £3 million as a loan fee and agreed to cover Weghorst's full salary for six months. The only obstacle was Beşiktaş, who still had him under contract. Burnley solved it by splitting the £3m fee with the Turkish club.
Burnley went from paying half of £40k a week to receiving a loan fee, paying nothing, and offloading a Championship wage bill entirely. One of the cleanest pieces of financial football in recent memory.