Just over a month on from the end of the 2022/23 campaign, it looks as if Manchester United are now finally closing in on their first signing of the summer, having reportedly agreed a £60m deal with rivals Chelsea for the signing of Mason Mount.

The addition of the England international will no doubt provide a fresh injection of youth and quality into the midfield ranks at Old Trafford, with the Champions League-winning playmaker having registered 70 goals and assists in 195 games during his time with the Blues.

With the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay having been linked with the exit door of late, however – and with young Zidane Iqbal already on his way to the Netherlands – that may not be the last of the midfield incomings this summer, with manager Erik ten Hag likely to require further depth in the centre of the park next summer.

As per ESPN, the Red Devils are said to have made an enquiry regarding the possibility of signing United States international, Taylor Booth, with the Daily Mail having also stated that Ten Hag is said to be a 'known admirer' of the 22-year-old – who currently plies his trade for Eredivisie side, Utrecht.

While such speculation had come amid a standstill in negotiations with Mount, it would be no surprise if Booth – who has been valued at around €12m (£10m) – ultimately ends up following the one-time Vitesse Arnhem loanee to the Theatre of Dreams in the coming weeks.

Who is Taylor Booth?

As has been illustrated by Ten Hag's previous additions – including the likes of Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez – the 53-year-old has regularly utilised his Dutch connections in order to get deals done during his United tenure to date, with it looking as if he may well do so again with the acquisition of Booth.

The former Ajax man's admiration for the promising American may well stem from the youngster's apparent likeness to another of his former assets, Frenkie de Jong, with Booth having been compared to the Dutchman by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Described as a "roaming playmaker" by Kulig, the Utrecht starlet appears to mirror the Barcelona ace in his ability to drive forward with ease from his deep-lying berth, showcased by the fact that he has averaged 3.25 progressive carries and 1.45 successful take-ons per 90 across the last 365 days, while De Jong has a similar record having averaged 3.39 and 1.34 for those same two metrics, respectively.

As ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand previously said of the latter man, the 26-year-old's main strength appears to be "about dictating the game", with Booth also seemingly sharing that trait, having said of his own approach: “I love to have the ball at my feet. I love being involved in the game, getting my teammates involved in the game and I love to be able to dictate the tempo of the game.”

Described as a player who "has the sauce" such is his exciting potential – according to writer Joseph Lowery – the former Bayern Munich asset could then prove a dream alternative to De Jong for Ten Hag, with United having been unable to prise the Netherlands international from Camp Nou last summer despite agreeing a deal with the La Liga giants.

With De Jong having again outlined his desire to stay put in Catalonia this time around, the possible bargain signing of Booth could be the ideal solution that the Premier League outfit.