Manchester United is said to be interested in Ajax sensation Kenneth Taylor, as manager Erik ten Hag continues to scout the Dutch market.
What’s the word?
According to The Sun, the United boss is said to have provided club scouts with the names of multiple young talents from his homeland whom he is keen to keep an eye on, with the 52-year-old said to be looking to lower the age of his squad in the coming transfer windows.
The report suggests that the aforementioned Taylor – whose existing deal in Amsterdam is set to run until 2027 – is one of those that the Red Devils will monitor closely, with the 20-year-old having worked under his compatriot previously at the Eredivisie giants.
The promising midfielder would be met by a handful of familiar faces were he to make the move to Old Trafford, with the Premier League outfit having only recently raided Ten Hag’s former employers for the signings of Antony and Lisandro Martinez during the previous window.
Dream Eriksen heir
There’s no denying that United are currently thriving having claimed a ninth successive victory in all competitions after coming from behind at home to rivals Manchester City on Saturday, with the midfield pairing of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen having emerged as particularly vital figures since their summer arrivals, having started 11 and 16 top flight games, respectively, this season.
With the pair both set to turn 31 next month, however, there may well be concerns regarding the potential longevity of that partnership, with Ten Hag seemingly wise to already be looking to the future by plotting a more youthful addition.
Turning to Taylor – who has been described as a “huge talent” by youth expert Jacek Kulig – could well prove to be a dream solution for the one-time FC Utrecht head coach, with the Netherlands international likely to be a suitable successor for Eriksen, in particular.
The three-cap playmaker, who has eight goals and nine assists in just 40 first-team appearances at the club level, has had a strong start to the current season, scoring five goals and laying on three assists in only 14 league appearances.
Like Eriksen – who boasts 112 goals and 170 assists in his senior club career to date – the exciting youngster is clearly a player who can impact proceedings in the final third, offering a real creative spark from his more reserved midfield role.
That likeness is also illustrated by the fact that Taylor averages an impressive 5.82 progressive passes per game, while the current United man is only just behind as he averages 5.35 for that same metric, showcasing the duo’s forward-thinking and probing quality in possession.
That ability to try to make things happen offensively is also demonstrated by the fact that the Dane averages 65.3 attempted passes per game, while the Alkmaar-born starlet averages only 64.86.
Taylor is clearly eager to learn from the former Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan maestro, who began his career at Ajax. The 6-foot ace has previously named Eriksen, as well as City’s Kevin De Bruyne, as two figures he looks up to.
As such, although it may seem premature to already be plotting a replacement for United’s recent free transfer arrival, Ten Hag could well have identified his dream Eriksen heir in the form of the exciting Dutchman.
Leave a Reply