Manchester United made it two wins from two at the start of their pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Ligue 1 side, Lyon on Wednesday afternoon, with the game's solitary goal coming courtesy of a fine, volleyed effort from forgotten man, Donny van de Beek.
The former Ajax midfielder hadn't featured for the Red Devils since sustaining a season-ending injury at home to AFC Bournemouth back in January, with that setback having epitomised what has been a wretched time of it at Old Trafford for the 26-year-old.
How much did Van de Beek cost Man United?
It is fair to say that the Premier League giants have not seen a return on their initial £40m investment in the Netherlands international, with the playmaker having scored just twice and registered only two assists in 60 competitive appearances over the last three years.
The once-promising gem – who previously netted 41 goals and registered 34 assists in 175 games in all competitions during his time in Amsterdam – has largely become something of a spare part in Manchester, in truth, while he has been unable to impress when he has featured, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst stating earlier this season that playing the Dutchman simply "doesn't work".
Those woes have ensured that it is looking likely that the £120k-per-week dud will be moving on to pastures new this summer, with the player himself having even admitted following the midweek win that an exit could be a "possibility".
If Ten Hag is to move on the attacking midfielder ahead of next season, then acquiring a potential replacement who can provide cover and competition for Bruno Fernandes may be in order, hence why looking to Utrecht's Taylor Booth could be a dream solution.
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As reported by ESPN at the end of last month, United were said to have enquired about the prospect of signing Booth amid their stalled pursuit of Mason Mount, with previous reports having indicated that Ten Hag is a 'known admirer' of the American maestro.
The one-time Bayern Munich asset would represent an attractive option as he is potentially set to be available on the cheap this summer, with reports in Germany indicating that the 22-year-old – who can also operate out wide – has an asking price of just €12m (£10m).
Who is Taylor Booth?
With Van de Beek's shortcomings laid bare by his lack of attacking output, Booth, by contrast, has been far more impressive in the Eredivisie of late, contributing six goal involvements in just 28 appearances in all competitions last term.
As per journalist Joseph Lowery, the emerging gem simply "has the sauce", as he is "skillful, creative, quick, intense, and versatile" – a string of traits that would likely be appealing to those back at Old Trafford.
The youngster's attacking quality is particularly obvious due to the fact that he ranks in the top 2% among his fellow midfielders in the Men's next eight competitions for progressive carries (at an average of 3.25 per 90), while Van de Beek, by contrast, is far less elegant in possession having averaged just 0.48 in that regard during the 2021/22 campaign.
Booth also appears to have a greater knack for being able to beat his man as he has averaged 1.45 successful take-ons per 90 – ranking in the top 10% in that regard – while the current United flop averaged just 0.65 during that 2021/22 season, in which he spent time on loan at Everton.
That striking contrast between the pair would suggest that the Utrecht ace – who has been likened to long-time United target, Frenkie de Jong – could prove to be a perfect addition to help oust Van de Beek from the squad, with the latter man simply in need of a fresh start elsewhere in order to get his floundering career back on track.