Every year there are young players who become stars out of nowhere.
Last year it was Kylian Mbappe, the former Monaco striker who joined PSG this summer and could easily become the world’s most expensive player sooner than later. And while the 18-year-old is indeed a talented player, he’s a reality by now. So the “prospect” label doesn’t really fit with him.
If we want to talk about who’s the most exciting prospect in Europe right now, that nod goes to Kasper Dolberg. The Ajax striker is only 19 years old, and he is already being linked with moves to the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. It is only a matter of time before he leaves Ajax for a bigger club. And it only takes a few minutes to see he is worth the hype surrounding him.
It’s easy to see how skilled he is. And he also offers positional versatility, since he can play all over the attacking third. He has featured as a winger on both flanks but thrives on a central role. And in the end, he’s expected to settle as a striker once he matures a bit more.
The numbers back him up. though. Last season Dolberg contributed with 23 goals in 48 games across all competitions for Ajax. He was at his best in the Eredivisie, however, where he finished with 16 goals in 29 appearances.
Dolberg already has three caps and one goal with the Denmark National Team as well. The Danes haven’t had a big star since the days of Nicklas Bendtner thriving at Arsenal, and there is no doubt Dolberg has the potential to be even better than him.
Dolberg is yet to score in eight games this season, but that should change sooner than later. And once he finds the back of the net, he could easily go on a scoring streak. We all know forwards tend to go through scoring droughts, but at the same time, they can easily leave them behind and get on a scoring streak. And Dolberg is already proving to be too good for the Dutch Eredivisie. He needs to play elsewhere if he wants to keep growing and ultimately reach his potential.
He’s valued at only €14 million according to Transfermarkt, but Ajax are not going to sell him that cheap. Any team that wants him will likely have to pay around €40M to get him, but that kind of money is a gamble in today’s market. Let’s remember Barcelona paid €150M to sign Ousmane Dembele, and that PSG offered €180M for Mbappe. If we compare to those numbers, suddenly paying for €40M for an up-and-coming striker loaded with potential doesn’t sound bad.
Dolberg still needs to improve physically, but that will come with time. He already understands the game quite well and looks mature beyond his years. And technically he is already a very good player, thanks to an accurate first touch and an incredible finishing ability.
It is hard to predict where – or when – he will flourish. But he is an impressive prospect in his own right. And if he handles himself properly, he has enough talent to become one of the best strikers in Europe in no time. The talent is there.