Real Salt Lake acquires Eden native Taylor Booth on loan from Dutch side
Charlie Riedel, Associated Press
United States forward Taylor Booth kicks the ball during a U23 international friendly against Japan on June 11, 2024, in Kansas City, Kan. (Charlie Riedel, Associated Press)After years away that included some speculation about a possible return to Utah, Eden native Taylor Booth is, in fact, back in the Beehive State.
Real Salt Lake has acquired the professional soccer player on loan from FC Twente in the Netherlands, the club announced Wednesday.
Booth, a native of the Ogden Valley locale, has 125 professional appearances in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands over eight-plus years away. Booth, 25, played for La Roca FC in local club action and was part of the RSL Academy before heading abroad to continue his career.
Booth is eligible to take the field Saturday when RSL hosts LAFC in Sandy. He’s signed to finish the 2026 MLS season, play for RSL in the 2027 MLS Sprint Season, and the team has the option to purchase his contract outright after that.
“Hard to believe it’s been almost 10 years since I moved away from home,” Booth said in a news release from the team. “I always knew that someday I would come back home to play for this club. And while I didn’t know exactly when, now feels like the right moment, both from my side and from RSL’s side as well.”
The transaction reunites the 5-foot-8 midfielder Booth with his younger brother, Zach. At age 22, Zach appeared in 30 games in Eredivisie (the same Dutch first division league) from 2023-26 before joining RSL this season on loan from his club, Excelsior.
Zach Booth scored his first MLS goal in May and has appeared in 11 matches for RSL.
“This is the club that made me want to become a professional footballer, so all those childhood memories are very special,” Taylor Booth said in a news release. “Even when I was away, I was always following RSL, wishing them the best — and, since Zach came back to Utah, he’s spoken about the people, how friendly and welcoming everyone is, how the facilities are top-class. MLS is growing at an amazing rate, gaining respect all around the world.
“I can’t wait to play in front of all the fans. We really have a special connection to this community; this is my boyhood club,” he said.
RSL plays four of its next six matches at America First Field. The Cobalt and Blue are in 10th place in the MLS Western Conference at 28 points (8-9-4) with 13 matches left in the season, sitting three points out of seventh place and a sure playoff spot.
