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Young midfielder Kenneth Taylor has been in and around the Ajax team since making his debut in season 2020/21.
He produced some impressive displays for Jong Ajax before being promoted to the first team in 2020. At times during the last few seasons, Taylor has also shown flashes of his ability.
His displays made him a regular in the Netherlands u-21 team. He has also earned four caps for the Netherlands senior team, although three of those caps came in 2022.
How has Taylor fared in previous seasons?
As with many young players, Ajax have given the midfielder the platform to perform on the highest stage, including featuring in European competition on a regular basis. It certainly helps players to gain vital experience.
The midfielder’s most productive campaign came in season 2022/23 when he scored nine goals in 44 games in all competitions. His performances certainly raised his profile, and he was linked with moves elsewhere.
The following season, he was nearly as prolific in front of goal from the centre of the park as Taylor scored eight times in 47 competitive appearances for the Dutch giants.
It could be argued that Taylor was one of the few players who came out of Ajax’s 2023/24 season with his head held high after a disastrous campaign for Ajax. He was expected to be a key player in the 2024/25 season, and it turns out that’s the case.
Could this be Taylor’s real breakout season?
Taylor has undoubted promise, and at just 22, he still has time to improve and become a genuine top player at the highest level. He is undoubtedly on the right track.
The 2024/25 season has started in a solid fashion for the midfielder. His performances and goal output in the Europa League have particularly caught the eye, as he has scored four goals in ten games in the competition.
55. KENNETH TAYLOR! 3-0!!! 🫡#UEL #ajabes pic.twitter.com/yd3bOPfmaC
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) September 26, 2024
However, he has also shown the combative side of his game by receiving six yellow cards.
In fact, with six goals in all competitions this season, he is on course to already achieve a personal best when it comes to his goal tally.
However, a midfield player cannot just be measured on his goal input, even if that is an excellent attribute to have from the middle of the park.
This season, he has also weighed in with three assists, and his all-around game has been consistent. If he continues in the current vein, then no doubt his game will go to the next level, as he keeps improving with experience.
Ajax has such a stellar record of producing central midfielders who go on and have big careers. The most recent example is the Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong, who, despite injury problems, has been a success for Catalan giants Barcelona.
He joined the Blaugrana in 2019, winning La Liga in season 2022/23 and the Copa del Rey in season 2020/21.
Then there is another former Ajax midfielder who has been impressive this season, Ryan Gravenberch, who has been ever-present for Premier League topping Liverpool under new Dutch head coach Arne Slot.
However, in recent years, the likes of Davy Klaassen and Donny van de Beek have been brilliant at Ajax but then struggled to make an impact.
Taylor will hope to go down the De Jong and Gravenberch routes more than the Klaassen or Van de Beek paths if he does leave the Amsterdam giants in the near future.
Taylor can be a crucial player for Ajax
With every season, Kenneth Taylor collects more experience, which will only help with his football development. The start he has made to the current season suggests that he will kick on this season.
Taylor’s recent form earned him a place in the Netherlands preliminary squad for the Nations League games against Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, the youngster didn’t make the final squad.
However, he will inevitably return to the Oranje squad in the near future if he maintains his form at club level. Maybe his absence from the national team will be a blessing in disguise, as it will give the young midfielder a chance to recharge his batteries.
Hopefully, the break will bring him back to Ajax fresh, and he can build on the momentum that he has built up already this season.