Celtic transfer scouting: Ajax starlet with elite midfield intelligence and 'wiggle room'

Most importantly, they have scored 21 goals in the process and only conceded once, which is a strong indicator of the kind of start they have had.

Celtic’s permanent signings this summer have been in the spotlight with Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Moritz Jenz starting to settle in.

The Champions League draw put the Hoops in a group with one of the great European teams in Real Madrid as well as RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk. Ange Postecoglou and the squad will relish the challenge and look to make history.

While the recent signings have been a success, they have also attracted interest from big Premier League clubs, with the likes of Matt O’Riley being linked with a move.

In this article, we will discuss a very young player who would be a great addition to the Celtic midfield: Kian Fitz-Jim of Ajax.

Key details & heatmap

Nationality: Netherlands; Club: Jong Ajax; Age: 19; Position: Defensive midfielder; Preferred foot: Right; Height: 5ft 8in

Fitz-Jim is a defensive midfielder by trade but likes to drive forward and make runs off the ball quite often.

As you can see from his heatmap below, Fitz-Jim mainly works in the central areas of the pitch while occasionally drifting wide for support in the opposition half.

On the ball

Fitz-Jim is an elite youngster in possession and will be an excellent asset for any team emphasising possession-based football. While that is a consequence of being in the Ajax youth system, his development has been quite impressive, and he has looked comfortable playing in different midfield roles.

As you can see from the numbers above, the 19-year-old is a high-volume passer with a very high ball progression rate with passing.

One of his key strengths is press evasion, and he is very calm and composed on the ball when there is a press on him.

The images above clearly show how good Fitz-Jim can be in the build-up and transitioning of the ball from defence to attack. The youngster receives the ball in his defensive third and decides to carry the ball forward in between the two opposition players.

He uses his exquisite footwork and technical ability on the ball to get past the first man before quickly playing a one-two with his teammate and setting a through ball into space, forcing an attacking situation for Jong Ajax. He can beat a press with his close control and footwork, making him an interesting player.

Fitz-Jim is also good at receiving the ball on the turn and the way he controls the ball and progresses it on the turn, beating a press or getting away from a marker is a joy to watch.

The pictures above clearly indicate how effective he is on the turn. He receives the ball from the defensive third and uses his left foot to slowly cushion it to get it under control post the turn before finding a man down wide with a clipped long pass.

He has already scanned his surroundings by the end of the turn and makes that pass instantly. The quick pass is down to him using his feet well to sort the ball, and this also helps him take out two players who have closed him down, leaving space in the middle to attack.

Another strength is that he likes to drop wide and form triangles, initiating quick one-twos or making runs from deep, dragging defenders with him. Mainly, he decides to carry the ball in tight spaces, which is aided by his good dribbling ability. He is quite light, and this helps him wiggle his way through players and win fouls in good areas.

There is a flair to his game and his well-rounded abilities on the ball should attract big clubs in the future. Although he has a great range of passing, over both long and short distances, he isn’t someone who is a high-volume creator and that isn’t his primary role at Jong Ajax.

Despite that, Fitz-Jim possesses good technique for through balls and his final third passes, with the ability to use either feet to make things happen. At times, he does try to make passes that are a bit out of reach or too quick for his team-mate to get to but his intelligence on the ball is a huge positive.

The above images are from two different games, showing Fitz-Jim’s ability to pick out runners, even if he is on his weaker left foot.

As for raw numbers, he does seem in the middle of the lot in terms of volume in creative passing and passes into the final third, but this is mainly down to his role in the team and where he operates.

Defensive qualities

The defensive side of his game is where he might need to work on a lot more and this will get better when he grows physically with age. While he does attempt a lot of defensive ground duels, his win rate is just shy of 60 per cent and can go further up.

In addition, he is fairly short and does not have a good leap either, which hurts him in the air. This could be an issue when he plays in bigger leagues but there are many examples of short defensive midfielders making it big, so that shouldn’t be a huge concern.

Fitz-Jim is quite capable defensively, mainly because of his ability to read situations in advance and react before it turns into a threatening situation defensively for his team.

In the above pictures, you can see how he reads the situation before making a move and times his challenge well. In many of his ground duels, you can see him using his legs to win the ball or tackle rather than use his physical strength or body to dispossess the opponent.

This is where he could work on improving his physicality and using his upper body in potential situations to dispossess the opponent and win back possession. He also makes fouls rarely on average and is not rash going down or sliding on the ground.

The 19-year-old’s intelligence to read situations also helps him intercept passes and pressure an opponent, causing a failed pass or a loose ball.

In the above images, you can observe how quickly Fitz-Jim closes his man down, reads the opponent’s body language, and puts his leg in to intercept and deflect the ball from its intended direction. He does thrive in this department.

Conclusion

Fitz-Jim should be a serious option for Celtic and Postecoglou if Celtic end up having to let the likes O’Riley leave in the near future.

Even if that is not the case, the Dutch youngster would still be a great addition to this team and is highly likely to reward the Hoops on the pitch and also help them make a bigger profit on him in a future sale.