Erik ten Hag eyes FC Utrecht youngster Taylor Booth as Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong alternative
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is eyeing FC Utrecht youngster Taylor Booth as an alternative to Frenkie de Jong, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The Dutch manager is looking to bolster the engine room in the upcoming transfer window. However, a move for the Barcelona superstar looks unlikely.
As a result, the former Ajax head coach will be forced to look elsewhere. To that end, Booth is someone that has caught the eye. The 21-year-old is thriving in the Eredivisie in the current campaign.
The American international has been compared to De Jong due to his quality of keeping hold of possession. Next summer, the youngster could be available for a cut-price of around €10 million.
Booth made his way through the youth ranks at Bayern Munich. Ten Hag used to manage the Bavarian’s reserve team for two years between 2013 and 2015.
But in the summer of 2022, the USMNT star joined Utrecht on a free transfer. In the Eredivisie, the young midfielder has found ample game time and has developed and showcased his qualities as a versatile player.
United have done well since the arrival of the Dutch manager. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have been his preferred pairing in the midfield pivot. However, they are both 31 years of age.
On the other hand, Fred and Scott McTominay are not young either anymore. However, the two have lost their place in the team since Ten Hag’s arrival. We have promising stars like Zidane Iqbal in our ranks, but the gaffer preferred to go with experience in the engine room during his time in Manchester.
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But the former Ajax head coach has the pedigree of developing young talent, with De Jong an example. Thus, Booth is a decent option for us to look at as a future talent.
