The latest of Ajax’s prestigious academy products to make a move abroad, Ricardo Kishna has joined Italian club Lazio for a fee of €4 million. The Dutchman will have a tough time breaking into Stefano Pioli’s lineup, but is nonetheless one of the league’s most exciting young players going into the new season.
What you need to know
Full name: Ricardo Kishna
Date of Birth: January 4th, 1995 (20 years old)
Position: Left winger
Nationality: Dutch
Current Club: Lazio
Height: 1.87 meters
International Caps: U-15 (5), U-16 (3), U-20 (1), U-21 (2)
Who is Ricardo Kishna?
Coming up through the youth ranks at ADO Den Haag before making the switch to Ajax as a 15-year old, Kishna’s success with the club’s under-19s granted him his first professional contract in January of last year, joining midfielder Riechedly Bazoer and defender Jairo Riedewald as the club’s latest academy graduates. Kishna hit the ground running as a senior player, scoring on his Eredivisie debut against AZ Alkmaar and contributing assists in both of his next two matches, as he and Ajax went on an unbeaten run all the way to the end of the season and clinching the league title for the team’s 33rd time. Despite only making five starts from his debut in February to the end of the season, his performances were enough for coach Frank de Boer to feature the youngster frequently throughout his first full professional campaign. Kishna made nearly 20 league starts in the 2014/15 edition of the Eredivisie, thrilling fans with his impeccable technical skills, speed, and eye for passes. Though he did not score frequently, he often found himself as a key link in Ajax’s attacking play, setting up 11 goals across all competitions. Though his numbers were not those of a world beater, Kishna filled in brilliantly for Viktor Fischer, whose injury in February of 2014 kept him from playing until March of this year. With the Dane returning to the starting lineup, it seemed inevitable that Kisha would be relegated to the bench, something that he understandly was not in agreement with. Visibly improving throughout his year-and-a-half with the senior Ajax side, his’s €4 million transfer fee neither justified the player’s potential nor his current talent, but was instead the product of an unfortunate situation within the Dutch giants’ squad.
Kishna’s experience on the international front has been fairly limited, as the 20-year-old has only made a handful of youth appearances to date. He made his first Netherlands under-21 start in March 2014, and has since played once more for the U-21 and once for the U-20 setup. However, if he continues his fine Ajax form with Lazio, then a senior Netherlands callup could be not so far away.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Kishna shares many strengths with the multitude of young wingers coming of age in recent years. A pacy dribbler, his technical skills are sound if not fantastic for a player of his age and position. What sets him apart from the likes of Florian Thauvin and Lucas Piazon is his ability to find a proper pass, which is usually uncharacteristic for his age. Distribution from the wing and accurate crosses are his strong suits, attributes usually thought to reserved for more experienced wingers. At a club like Lazio, where team play is prized and goals are distributed across many different players, Kishna’s skillful parceling of the ball will be a valued asset towards the club’s hopeful title run.
It isn’t all sunshine and buttercups for the 20-year-old, as due to his age and professional inexperience, gaps remain in the winger’s skill set. Despite his considerable stature, Kishna remains weak in the air, frequently falling prey to bulkier and more powerful opponents in aerial situations. Though this condition is nothing new for wingers, Kishna’s failure to utilize his height to his full advantage will be exploited by opposition defenders and hard hitting midfield enforcers like Nigel de Jong. Furthermore, he, like many of his positional compatriots, is affected by defensive weakness. Though not a glaring necessary for a player like Kishna, he will continue to be limited with what he can contribute to team play should he fail to address this deficiency.
2015/16 and Beyond
Coming into next season, Kishna will most likely be a squad player, making starts now and again but largely confined to the bench in favor of established left forward Antonio Candreva. He will be a suitable player for the Dutchman to learn from, as their playing styles are quite similar, though Kishna’s is naturally much less refined. Should one of the annual rumours linking Candreva abroad come true a year or two from now, Lazio’s new signing has the capability to step up and fill the gap left by the club’s talismanic winger. In any case, €4 million is not a high price to pay even if Kishna fails to live up to expectations, but given Ajax’s track record with acadmy products, the chances of Kishna flopping are miniscule, indicating that the biancocelesti have got themselves an attacking ace for years to come.
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