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Middlesbrough steal a march to sign Ajax ace – Twitter reacts

Jack Linley
Jack Linley

Once , Middlesbrough pulled off something of a coup by from Ajax in a deal only thought to be worth £3.8 million. Given the pedigree of the player and the kind of clubs who have been rumoured to want his signature, this fee really is staggeringly low, but may be explained by his disappointing injury troubles for the last couple of years. Should he manage to get over these fully, the Premier League could be the Dutchman’s oyster.

With an initial three-year contract signed at The Riverside, how much of Fischer’s undoubted natural brilliance can Boro fans expect to see when they start their Premier League campaign in a few months’ time?

Having been promoted to the Premier League as runners-up to Burnley in the Championship, Aitor Karanka’s side are clearly wasting no time in adding to their ranks in order to give themselves the best chance of staying in the top flight. A British core such as Stewart Downing and Jordan Rhodes was supplemented by the flair of Gaston Ramirez, and Viktor Fischer should help further still in this regard.

Those clubs that came up last season and acquitted themselves well in the Premier League – Bournemouth and Watford – both had a significant goal-scoring threat, allowing them to pick up points when opportunities appeared limited. To rely almost entirely on Jordan Rhodes and Gaston Ramirez for this would be an error of judgement, as the gamble would simply be too large. Although the pair were a consistent threat to goalkeepers in the Championship in 2015/16, it would be asking a lot for them to repeat that feat next term.

Rhodes had scored ten goals for Blackburn in the Championship before adding six more after moving to Middlesbrough, while Gaston Ramirez managed seven goals and an assist in the 18 league matches following the Uruguayan’s switch from Southampton.

Viktor Fischer was mainly used as a substitute for Ajax last season, but his potential contribution to Boro was nonetheless clear to see. Famed for his dribbling ability in close quarters and threatening defences by cutting in-field, the Danish sensation accrued ten goals and four assists in all competitions last term. Fischer has the ability to play in a wide variety of attacking roles, although preferring the left-wing from which he can fire a shot towards goal with his preferred right foot. This versatility could be a valuable asset for Middlesbrough next season.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the news:

The shockingly low transfer fee was not lost on the vast majority:

Concerns about his injury troubles did surface though:

http://twitter.com/C__Thorne/status/736251023862435840

Even taking no account of the fee or his potential injury worries, there was a consensus that Fischer could do great things:

http://twitter.com/SimplyMartial/status/735060111413157888

http://twitter.com/_BenWills/status/735046876773416960

http://twitter.com/TimBuffalo/status/736219605597847552

Yet, from beneath it all arose a little of football fans’ inescapable cynicism:

Finally though, an apparently saddened Ajax compiled the obligatory highlights reel. Time to dream, Boro fans?

http://twitter.com/AFCAjax_EN/status/736272900664229888

Do you think that Viktor Fischer will take the Premier League by storm in 2016/17, or will he struggle to adapt to the different style of play? Let us know in the comments section below.

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