The name Ajax comes straightaway into our minds when we begin to talk about young players and their glittering futures. The Amsterdam based club, which has been the hub and the indirect foundation of almost everything that goes around the footballing world, never stops producing player after player from it’s eminent and illustrious academy. Ranging from the would be great Christian Eriksen to the fading likes of Rafael van der Vaart and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ajax players have achieved anything and everything a host of players can actually can, if the side they’ve produced by can’t actually compete at the topmost level itself.
It’s an uncanny, unprecedented way of imposing its indirect influence over the game by not laying hands of accolades itself, but by complimenting its future stars in doing the same. And we very well know that Ajax never back down from unleashing their conveyor belt of youngsters year after year. And the latest one is the flamboyant 21 year old forward Viktor Fischer.
Fischer weighs 71 kilograms, and is 1.8 meters tall, which is a sort of physicality that is quite ideal for someone of his age. The Dane is versatile enough to play up top, or feature at the left side of the front three. Otherwise, he can even operate just behind the striker to.
During his early days at IF Lysend, when he was hardly 10, Fischer used to play football with kids who were 2 or 3 years younger than him. But that never seemed bothersome for Fischer as he hammered in 81 goals in just a single season. He ended up joining Ajax in 2009, before garnering attention from clubs like Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Manchester City and Manchester United. Fischer didn’t break into the first team straightaway but took a season in carving out a name for himself in the senior ranks. He was a star performer for the Ajax A1 youth side during their NextGen Series, in which they lost 5-3 to Inter Milan in the penalty shoot outs during the finals. Fischer ended up being the joint top scorer of the tournament alongside La Masia’s Jean Marie Dongou.
He was handed his first team debut during the pre season friendlies of the 2012-13 season, when he scored in a 3-1 win over Huizen. Eredivisie and Champions League debuts followed and he officially found the net for the first time during a KNVB CUP game against ONS Sneek, which Ajax won 2-0. During the first month of 2013, Fischer destroyed Feyenoord after the then 19 year old grabbed a brace, which set the tone for a 3-0 win. Thanks to a range of outstanding performances over his debut season, Fischer was announced as the Ajax Talent of the Year, in which he found the net ten times and assisted twelve times too. And his delightful showings allowed Ajax to claim their 32nd Eredivisie title.
The 2013-14 campaign was supposed to be a season which was touted as something of a catapult for the Dane and after the departure of countryman Christian Eriksen to English giants Spurs, the opportunity was Fischer’s to grab. Although, Ajax did retain their title but Fischer sustained a serious hamstring injury which was told to keep him sidelined till 2015. It was announced that the 20 year old would undergo a surgery in Sweden in order to recover fully and come back a year later. During that season, Fischer racked up a total of 7 goals, out of which 4 came into the tally from the Eredivisie.
Fischer made his return to action in March 2015, when he featured for Jong Ajax, the reserve side in a 3-0 loss to De Graafschap. He scored in his second appearance against the Borussia Dortmund Under 23 side during a friendly. After making a total of 4 appearances in the second division and after displaying lot of hardwork and resolve, Fischer made his return to the senior side in April, when he came on for striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson against NAC Breda.
During the recently concluded Euro Under 21’s, which Sweden eventually ended up claiming, Fischer was the main focus of the Under 21 Danish team, which although were hammered 4-1 in the semi finals. Fischer illuminated the tournament by scoring once and assisting once, clarifying why he’s still one of the hottest properties around the continent, barring the long term hamstring problem that he sustained.
This season, Fischer has been among the goals rather consistently scoring five times in all competitions with the latest goal coming against their previous game in which Ajax emerged 3-1 winners
The young Dane is someone who has already drawn links with each of Premier League’s top six clubs, and he’s witnessed the rise and plummet of his career in just the space of three years. But the good thing is- he’s up and running once again.
Luciano Vietto and Patrick Herrmann are players who are more adept in off the ball skills as compared to their on ball abilities, but Fischer is someone who is good in both the dimensions of the play. He’s the kind of winger who is always rearing to get in behind and always showcases intelligent movement when doing so. He’s a very good finisher just like any other player who loves getting in behind from wide positions. Due to this, he could be a real danger to the defenses when playing for sides who maintain possession and set him free. His instinctive off the ball movements allow him make and free up spaces for players around him.
He’s raw pace and can unleash it whenever given the space to do so from wide positions. He makes 2 dribbles per game.
Fischer is in need of upping his passing percentage, which still lurks around 78%, if he wants to mould himself into a complete player considering he’s still raw. Another thing which he needs to improve is his ability to drop deep and do the dirty work. Memphis Depay did the same during his last season at PSV which helped him transform himself into a complete player.
This season, Fischer has been deployed in a variety of positions by Frank de Boer including up top, left wing and as a number ten, but his best performances have when playing down the left.
The biggest thing about him is that he’s a big match player. Even if he hasn’t had the best of weeks he will play his heart against sides like PSV, Feyenoord, AZ or Heerenveen. He’s got a knack for destroying PSV and Feyenoord in every single game he plays against them.
Fischer has already drawn comparisons to his compatriot Christian Eriksen, but a pacier form of him altogether. The hamstring injury that he sustained has derailed his progress quite a bit or otherwise he’d have already been on his way to England.