Ten Hag already plotting next Eredivisie raid for Man Utd with exciting star put on watchlist
Erik ten Hag is already looking into possible summer moves for Manchester United and is preparing to complete another raid on the Dutch Eredivisie, according to a report.
Man Utd had a pretty cheap January transfer window, with three players all moving to Old Trafford on loan deals. They are goalkeeper Jack Butland, striker Wout Weghorst and midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.
Up until deadline day it looked like Man Utd were only going to bring in two new faces (Butland and Weghorst). But after club chiefs found out Christian Eriksen would be out injured for an extended period, they moved quickly to land a replacement.
Sabitzer has joined Man Utd on loan until the end of the campaign. He will play in the number 15 shirt which was last worn by Andreas Pereira.
Man Utd did not complete any permanent exits, despite rumours surrounding the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Anthony Elanga and Victor Lindelof.
Man Utd will now be hoping to have a successful second half of the campaign. They are in a great position to finish in the Premier League top four and remain in three cup competitions, too. They will come up against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round and Barcelona in the Europa League knockout round play-off.
Ten Hag will do all he can to help Man Utd succeed this season. But he will also be looking at the club’s long-term future and what new signings they might be able to bring in during the summer.
According to the Daily Mail, he could dip back into the Eredivisie market by raiding FC Utrecht for Taylor Booth. He is an exciting 21-year-old who can play as a central midfielder or as a winger on either flank.
Ten Hag eyes FC Utrecht star amid breakout campaign
Booth is enjoying a great debut season with Utrecht after joining them on a free transfer from Bayern Munich’s second team in July last year. So far, two goals and three assists have come his way in 14 league appearances.
The versatile player has recently become a target for Ten Hag, with the Man Utd boss ‘actively monitoring’ his progress ahead of a possible summer swoop.
Booth could become the fourth player Man Utd have signed from the Eredivisie under Ten Hag. Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia are on that list at the moment.
Ten Hag will have confidence about agreeing a deal with Utrecht. After all, he knows the club well following his spell as manager there between 2015 and 2017.
The report does not reveal how much Man Utd would have to pay for Booth. transfermarkt value him at just €1.5million (£1.3m) but this price will surely rise come the end of the season.
Utrecht protected by Taylor Booth contract
Plus, Utrecht will hold out for as much money as possible because Booth’s contract with them does not expire until June 2025.
The American would not be an immediate starter if he went to Man Utd later this year. He is still a work in progress and would need more time to develop, potentially through a loan spell.
But Ten Hag wants to ensure the future of Man Utd is both bright and exciting, and signing players like Booth would certainly help to do this.
Moving from Utrecht to Man Utd could form part of a sensational year for the star. After representing the USA at U19 level, Booth will be hoping to make his senior debut for the national team in the near future.
