After flushing out over 100 million euros in order to replace the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan, Borussia Dortmund should once again be ready for another busy window as their top strikePierre-Emerick Aubameyang is all set to leave the Signal Iduna Park. According to reports from German newspaper, Sportbild, French outfit PSG are willing to offer over 14 million euros per annum in wage for the Gabonese International, in order to persuade him to a move to Paris.
Bild also claims, Dortmund are already looking for replacements in the market, with Ajax’s Kasper Dolberg being one of the top targets for the Black and Yellows. Kasper Dolberg is the latest youth prodigy coming out of the Ajax conveyor belt, which has previously served us with some true legends of the beautiful game such as, Johan Cryuff, Dennis Bergkamp, Marco Van Basten, Patrick Kluivert, Zlatan Ibrahimovic amongst many others.
Born on October 6th, 1997 in Silkeborg, a three hours drive from the capital Copenhagen, Dolberg began playing football at the age of three for local club Silkeborg-Voel KFUM. At the age of 12, he began playing for Danish Superliga outfit Silkeborg IF, evidently his hometown club. After plying his trade with the youth ranks, he made his senior debut at the age of 17, coming on as a substitute against Brondby. Just a few weeks after representing the Silkeborg for the first team, Dolberg made his £230,ooo move to Ajax Amsterdam, having been first spotted by the famous footballer-turned-scout John Breen Olsen.
He was quick to make an impact with Ajax’s U-19 squad by scoring eight goals in 22 appearances and was ultimately rewarded with a call up to Peter Bosz’s squad during their pre-season campaign. He made his first senior start of his career against Roda, where he scored two goals before being subbed off in the 63rd minute. He never had to look back since. Dolberg ended the season, becoming the leading scorer for Ajax, as he notched up as many as 16 goals in just 29 appearances.
Primarily a center forward by trade, Dolberg can actually play a unique role, where he generally tends to create spaces for his teammates. Much like Thomas Muller of FC Bayern, Dolberg is increasingly synonymous with using his body movements, and mind to help disorganise the opposition defence. His movements on and off the ball are one of his biggest selling points.
The way he manipulates his body and shoulders, helps him gain an advantage over the defender. Then he’d unleash his pace to pummel the opposition. He also utilises his flicks and tricks very well in order to trick the defender. However, he’s not just all about sharp movements and cool tricks, cause he has an incredibly deadly shot up his sleeves, and he can finish chances almost as good as the previous Ajax legends like Marco Van Basten or Luiz Suarez.
Another handy attribute about him is his ability to track back. Unlike Aubameyang, who loves to play on the shoulders of the last defender, Dolberg is a much more complete center forward in that case. He is willing to fall back just to receive the ball from deeper positions. The Dane provides everything that Peter Bosz’s system could possibly ask, dropping back, getting involved in the buildup play and playing in between the lines.
Moreover, Dolberg’s 187cm stature doesn’t make it easier for the defenders to bully him. His tendency to do a turn following a great first touch is useful for him in beating defenders. Indeed, he averages 2.8 dribbles per game and his physicality helped him win at least 2.1 headed duels on average this season. He can also drift into wider positions at times, drawing defenders out of position in the process.
Overall, Dolberg offers much more to a team than one could possibly hope for at the tender age of just 19. While he may not be as clinical as Pierre Emerick Aubemeyang in finishing opportunities, he has room for improvement and with age on his side, he has every chance to evolve as a replacement for Pierre Emerick Aubameyang at the Iduna Park.
