Justin Kluivert to Fulham, a smart signing for Marco Silva?

Fulham are ramping up their transfer business this week and are reportedly closing in on AS Roma’s Justin Kluivert, but what would he bring to the Cottagers?

The 23-year-old winger has played at some high calibre clubs: Ajax, Roma and Nice so far… but he seems to want a new challenge, playing in the Premier League.

We have broken down his stats from his season-long loan at Nice in the last campaign, to see what attributes Kluivert will bring to Fulham. If he’s half as good as his dad… it’ll be a fantastic signing.

 

Defensive

As a left winger, defending isn’t Kluivert’s strongest attribute, but he still likes to get stuck in… at times, perhaps too much.

The Dutchman averaged 0.7 tackles per game for Nice last season, as well as 0.5 interceptions per match, too. So, he can do a job defending ‘from the front.’

However, he has got himself a reputation for being hot-headed at times. The winger makes an average of 1.4 fouls per game, and picked up six yellow cards last season and one red card, when, as a substitute, he told the referee to basically “shut his mouth…” with a few extra expletives in there.

Fulham could look at this in one of two ways. He has the potential to pick up cards and therefore could be suspended at times, but also it shows he’s a fighter who wants to win by any means necessary; which is a valued attribute for any footballer.

Played: 31

Tackles per 90: 0.7

Fouls committed per 90: 1.4

Yellow cards: 6

Red cards: 1

 

Playmaking:

When he’s in good form, Kluivert is effective at creating chances for his teammates, something the likes of Aleksandr Mitrovic and Bobby de Cordova-Reid will be happy about.

Last season, he averaged 1.3 key passes per game for Nice. More significantly though, he made 1.5 successful crosses per match, which makes him a great option for Fulham especially as Mitrovic is so prolific in the air. Kluivert is versatile in that he can play on either wing and is good with his weaker left foot, so he can get to the by-line effectively and swing crosses in from either side.

The Dutchman made six assists in Ligue 1 for Nice. This was his best assist return since 2019, so he hasn’t been that consistent in assisting so far in his career, but he is only 23, so has the potential to increase those numbers, too.

But one thing is for sure; Kluivert has the vision and ability to play some great passes. Something Fulham desperately need as they look to score more consistently this season. If he can hit the ground running for the Cottagers, he could make a big difference between relegation and survival.

Pass success: 76.3%

Key passes per 90: 1.3

Long balls per 90: 0.7

Crosses per 90: 1.5

Assists: 6

 

Attacking:

The best part of Kluivert’s game is his confidence in front of goal.

Goalscoring wingers are growing in popularity in the Premier League. Salah, Sterling, Mane and Hazard are some past and present examples. It’s no secret that Marco Silva has been looking to strengthen Fulham’s wide areas for a while and with the Dutchman’s self-confidence, Kluivert will be hoping to replicate their performances this season. He may never get to their level, but he arguably has the potential to do so.

Last season, he averaged 1.1 shots on target per match for Nice, scoring six goals in all competitions. Kluivert will be looking to improve on those numbers, but with the ability to cut in from either wing and shoot with his right or left foot, he could be a big player for Fulham as a regular starter.

He is also an excellent dribbler on his day. He completed 1.5 successful dribbles per match last season, making him one of the best for this stat in the French topflight. However, the Dutchman can be very frustrating, giving the ball away an average of 1.3 times last season. He is one of those players who always looks like he can do something special, but it doesn’t always come off.

It's worth mentioning though that at 23 he already has some great experience under his belt. He has played in the Europa League, the Champions League and in the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1, and so far has proven he has the quality to step up to any level.

However, playing in the Premier League for Fulham who aren’t a ‘big’ team near the top of the table will be his biggest challenge yet. It will be interesting to see how he fares this season if the deal does go through as expected this week.

Dribbles per 90: 1.5

Dispossessed per 90: 1.3

Shots per 90: 1.1

Goals: 6

Goal contributions per game: 0.39